The domestic pharmaceutical market hit 1.9bn RON (466m euros) in the first quarter of this year, up 22.5% in RON and 6% in euros from the same period of last year. In volume, though, the market saw a 1.8% decline during this period, according to the data provided by Cegedim Romania research and market survey company.

"The market performed well in terms of sales in drugstores, but was slow at the level of producers and distributors (...)," said Petru Craciun, CEO of Cegedim Romania.

In retail, reported in RON, the biggest sales were for prescription drugs, of 1.418bn euros, up 26.5%, while for OTC drugs the advance was by only 9.5%, to 317.8m RON.

Thus, awaiting smaller prices, implemented starting 1 April 2009, drugstores cut their orders to distributors, but continued to sell drugs from inventories to patients.

"In Q2, we expect a weaker performance on the lower prices. As a rule, Q4 is the best, Q3 is the weakest, while Q1 and 2 are different, depending on the legislative framework. However, this year Q2 is going to be below Q1," Craciun said. He expects the overall pharmaceutical market to fall by 6% in volume this year.

"For 2009, we maintain our projection for 10% growth in RON and 3% in euros, taking into account a 4.175 RON/euro rate," added Craciun.

Along therapeutic groups, the biggest sales were registered by cardiovascular drugs, with 377.7m RON (19.1%), by those for the digestive tube and metabolism, with 273.3m RON (21.6%), and for the central nervous system (19.9%).

In the year that ended on 31 March, the total value of the Romanian pharmaceutical market stood at 7.531bn RON, of which 6.519bn RON in the retail segment and 1.012bn RON on the hospital segment.

According to the Cegedim report, at the end of Q1 the leading position in the ranking of the main pharmaceutical companies domestically was held by Hoffm