Research and Markets: Cambodia's Pharmaceutical Market Was Calculated To Be Worth KHR711bn (US$172mn) In 2009 Says 2010 Study

25 Auguat 2010
Eastern Daylight Time

The Cambodia Pharmaceuticals and Healthcare Report provides industry professionals and strategists, corporate analysts, pharmaceutical associations, government departments and regulatory bodies with independent forecasts and competitive intelligence on Cambodia's pharmaceuticals and healthcare industry.
Cambodia's pharmaceutical market was calculated to be worth KHR711bn (US$172mn) in 2009. BMI forecasts drug consumption to increase at a rate of 11.6% over the next five years to reach a value of KHR1,232bn (US$302mn) in 2014. Our long range forecast is for the market to reach KHR2,062bn (US$516mn) in 2019, equivalent to annual growth of 11.2% over the 10-year period. In absolute terms, the country's pharmaceutical market is one of the smallest covered by BMI. However, its high growth potential emphasizes Cambodia as an emerging target for drugmakers in the medium term. In BMIs Pharmaceutical Business Environment Ratings for Q310, Cambodia is ranked the lowest of the 16 Asia Pacific markets surveyed. The countrys medicine market is small in absolute terms and percapita expenditure is low. However, BMI is forecasting double-digit growth over the medium term. Fundamental disincentives to drugmakers include a young and predominantly rural population, a lack of respect for intellectual property, endemic corruption and excessive bureaucracy.
A decade of economic growth and political stability has allowed Cambodia to begin to tackle its underdeveloped healthcare system. Measures such as health equity funds, a new social health insurance system and the use of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) has begun to reduce inequalities in the system. The public health budget has grown in line with economic growth. However, per capita health expenditure remains low and around 60% of healthcare costs are paid out-of-pocket.
Government figures show that the national health budget is increasing. However, contributions from foreign donors exceed government contributions at a rate of around 2:1. This reliance on foreign contributions means that health expenditure levels are exposed to fluctuations in the exchange rate. Counterfeit drugs are a major constraint on legitimate drug market growth. Around 65% of the illegal pharmacies operating in Cambodia have been closed, according to the US Pharmacopeia in May 2010. The development comes as the result of a major anti-counterfeiting operation undertaken by the Cambodian government for over five months. According to figures released by the Cambodian Ministry of Health, the number of illegal pharmacies was reduced from 1,081 to 379 between November 2009 and March 2010.
The domestic pharmaceutical industry comprises seven small manufacturers dealing in basic generic medicines. The bulk of demand is met through imports, both from developed markets (such as France) and nascent markets (such as India, Thailand and Vietnam).