Lebanon Pharmaceuticals & Healthcare Report Q4 2013 - New Study Released

Medicines uptake in Lebanon will slow over the short-to-medium term, as elevated political instability stemming from the ongoing political crisis in Syria continues to hamper overall consumption. The public healthcare system will come under increased pressure and medicines access will become more difficult as demand is fuelled by the rising number of Syrian refugees in the country. In addition to the country's political instability, Lebanon maintained its position on PhRMA's Special 301 2013 Report, highlighting ongoing concerns over the country's intellectual property regime and regulatory environment. As such, Lebanon's pharmaceutical market has become less attractive this quarter in BMI's Risk-Reward Rating Matrix.

Headline Expenditure Projections

* Pharmaceuticals: LBP1,956bn (US$1.30bn) in 2012 to LBP2,062bn (US$1.37bn) in 2013; +5.4% in local currency and +5.5.% in US dollar terms. Forecast broadly in line with Q313.
* Healthcare: LBP4,277bn (US$2.84bn) in 2012 to LBP4,545bn (US$3.02bn) in 2013; +6.3% in local currency and US dollar terms. Forecast broadly in line with Q313.

Full Report Details at
- http://www.fastmr.com/prod/684673_lebanon_pharmaceuticals_healthcare_report_q4_2013.aspx?afid=301

Risk/Reward Rating

In Q413, Lebanon's Pharmaceutical Risk/Reward Rating (RRR) score was calculated as 52 out of 100, lower than its Q313 score of 55. We currently view Lebanon as the eight-most attractive market for innovative product launch in the region, dropping two places from sixth position in Q313. This is based on our view that the rate of medicines consumption will slow over the short and medium term due to wider political instability and the effect the Syrian civil war and influx of refugees will have on medicines access in the country.

Key Trends & Developments

July 2013

The Lebanese online medical portal, etobb.com, was launched in 2012 with the aim of connecting doctors and patients around the world. Its services have been by providing access to advice specifically relating to the Ramadan fast, including dietary issues, blood transfusions and kidney dialysis. The portal aims to help improve access to health information in the Arab world as well as enabling users to communicate directly with health practitioners worldwide.

Novartis organized an educational media session to communicate the latest breakthroughs in multiple sclerosis treatment to healthcare professionals of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society of Lebanon (MSSL).

May 2013

The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) released its Special 301 Submission 2013. Lebanon maintained its position on the Priority Watch List due to ongoing lack of regulatory data protection, poor regulatory entry barriers for generic drugs and parallel importation. Unlike the Special 301 Submission 2012, no new concerns regarding Lebanon's intellectual property protection regime were highlighted in the Special 301 Submission 2013.

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