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UAE

last updated: 15 September 2005

Population (July 2005)

69.6m

GDP per capita (PPP, 2004)

$508.7bn

Health expenditure (2004)

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Health expenditure as proportion of GDP (2004)

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Size of pharmaceutical market (sales, 2004)

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Percentage of health expenditure spent on pharmaceuticals (2004)

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Proportion of GDP spent on pharmaceuticals (2004)

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Pharmaceutical market growth rate (2003)

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Local currency

New Turkish Lira (TRY)

Summary: Turkey

Turkey can be considered the sixth largest pharmaceuticals market in Europe, after Germany, France, the UK, Italy and Spain.

An aging population and an increase in per capita income indicate healthcare expenditure is on the rising tide. However, the rigorous structural reform initiated by Turkish authorities following the 2001 economic crisis and the IMF advice, along with the reform of the healthcare system in line with the World Bank recommendations may mean government health spending as a percentage of GDP is to be reduced.

Turkey has been harmonising regulations in line with those of the European Union following their common customs union agreement in 1996. Turkish authorities have recently reformed the pharmaceutical pricing mechanism and implemented a new data protection law, albeit the latter does not make unanimity among stakeholders. We can expect Turkey’s EU ambitions to drive needed reforms.