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Most of the biggest products have been copied, there are no price controls and managed care in Chile does not cover drugs, so patients are paying out of pocket

London, UK (PRWeb) November 17, 2006 -- eyeforpharma can announce that Guillermo Hartwig, General Manager of Afarma will be at the 3rd annual Generics Marketing and Sales Summit in Berlin, Feb 22-23. This is at a critical time, when the European generics market faces more competition, mergers and acquisions, and more challenges to raising both top and bottom lines than ever before. So looking elsewhere may provide clues as to where this market is heading and help us prepare to meet these challenges.

Although generic markets differ globally, drug makers can build strategies by examining the development of markets in other regions, says Hartwig. He predicts that the European generics market will closely mirror many aspects of the market in Chile.

The market for generics is very broad in Chile, Hartwig says, and the number of generic products is large due to the lack of patent protection before 1992 in the Latin American nation. "Most of the biggest products have been copied, there are no price controls and managed care in Chile does not cover drugs, so patients are paying out of pocket," he says. "But with no restrictions imposed by insurance, demand also is strong. That makes for a very 'free' market that is very competitive for generics."

And the distribution channel in Chile is very concentrated, adding to the competitiveness of the market, Hartwig says. "Four drug chains have about 90% of the private market share in Chile," he points out.

Generics makers must also be aware that many pharmacies are seeking to launch their own generics and want to establish deals with one or two manufacturers to supply their 'store' branded products, Hartwig says. "So to negotiate successfully with them, companies need a broad range of products and competitive pricing," he suggests.

Generics makers also will do well to include (or at least partner with) branded generics and branded drugs in their portfolios, he suggests. "It's much easier to negotiate with the pharmacies with a complete range of products," Hartwig says.

But this holds true even in Europe, Hartwig says, where most pharmacies are independent, rather than part of a chain. "It makes negotiating easier, you can get a better price, and logistics is easier," he stresses.

Demand for generics will remain strong, Hartwig says. "In Chile, consumers perceive the quality of generics to be quite good," he points out. "We have had generics for 40 years and patients have received a healthy education about the value of generics."

Hartwig and a host of other industry thought leaders will be presenting the latest strategies and best practices for the successful marketing and sales of generics at eyeforpharma's 3rd annual Generics Marketing and Sales Summit in Berlin, February 22-23, 2007.

For additional information on this subject, or to find out who else will be speaking and what other topics will be covered at the event, contact Mark Walker on +44 (0) 207 3757 201 or visit http://www.eyeforpharma.com/generics2007/pr

About eyeforpharma
eyeforpharma is a leading global source of information and events for the pharmaceutical industry, providing a fortnightly newsletter to over ten thousand executives, and organizing the most valuable events for thought leaders all year round.

Contact:
Mark Walker,
Global Conference Director
eyeforpharma
+44 (0) 207 3757 20
http://www.eyeforpharma.com/generics2007/pr

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