Germany still most attractive Western European pharmaceuticals market

Germany has retained its position as the most attractive pharmaceutical market in Western Europe, out of the 10 countries surveyed in Business Monitor International’s Business Environment Ratings (BER) for fourth-quarter 2010. The ratings criteria serve to reinforce BMI’s estimation of the country's potential owing to its strong emphasis on the regulatory environment.

On a global basis, Germany ranks fifth, behind the USA, Australia, Canada and Japan. However, the German market valued at 37.84 billion euros ($53.30 billion) will increasingly be seen as a challenge, especially for innovative drugmakers. The new government is discussing a raft of measures, some of which may signal an end to the free pricing of novel products in the country (The Pharma Letter November 12).

But negative growth forecast over next five year