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The Top 10 Biggest Exporters of Pharmaceuticals In The World

27 October 2022, 14:25 CET

Drugs and medication have seen huge investment in the last few years as part of the learnings from the pandemic, with the likes of Europe increasing its stocks from within the continent to ensure it is reliant upon itself as a continent.

However, in more recent times, when it comes to drugs and medication, prescription drug addiction is so common and so frequently in the news, while the energy crisis has seen Europe's drug makers say they may have to stop manufacturing some of their cheap, generic medication. And that's coming from nations that are among the biggest exporters of pharmaceuticals on the planet.

But which countries are at the very top of the tree when it comes to exporting pharmaceuticals? Here's the top 10…

1. Germany

Europe makes up the bulk of the top 10 and at the very top of the pile is Germany, a country that accounts for 14.9% of the world's exported drugs and medicines.

The country exports around $60.8billion worth of drugs around the world, with the likes of the Bayer Group being one of the biggest pharmaceutical countries in the world.

2. Switzerland

The Swiss are well known for their healthcare and that extends to drug making, with the nation not too far behind Germany, accounting for $48.1billion in exports, a total of 11.8% of all exported pharmaceuticals.

3. Belgium

Completing the top three is Belgium, which accounts for almost half of the revenue made by Germany from exports at $31.1billion, which equates to around seven and a half percent of all pharmaceutical exports.

4. France

Neighbouring France is fourth, just a couple of billion dollars short of Belgium with an export value of $28.4billion and 7% of the world's exports being manufactured in the country.

5. Italy

It's a clean sweep for Europe in the top five with the Italians exporting around $27.2billion worth of drugs around the world.

6. USA

The rest of the world start to come into play outside the top five with the USA accounting for 6.1% of all exports at a value of $24.7billion.

7. India

India are just behind at $24.6billion and it's believed this market in particular could grow if European manufacturers do pause on some products, meaning customers will have to look outside the EU for similar products.

8. Ireland

The Irish are around $5billion ahead of their British neighbours, exporting a total of $23.1billion of pharmaceutical goods around the world.

9. Netherlands

Meanwhile, the Netherlands is significantly behind its Belgian and German neighbours, accounting for just under 5% of all exporting, at a value of $19.3billion.

10. United Kingdom

And finally, completing the top 10 is the United Kingdom, which values its exporting in the pharmaceutical space at $18.7billion, ahead of the likes of Denmark, Spain and Sweden which are just behind the country.

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