On October 9, 2024, the annual "Pharmaceuticals and Healthcare" conference, organized by the Russian-German Chamber of Commerce, took place. This key event brought together representatives from all segments of the pharmaceutical market to discuss current challenges and strategies for industry development.
German pharmaceutical products hold leading positions in the Russian market among foreign goods. Therefore, the issue of importing medicines and medical devices from Germany remains highly relevant for companies operating in Russia.
The Russian-German Chamber of Commerce provides significant support to market participants, facilitating dialogue with regulators in both Russia and Germany. Recently, the Chamber's Healthcare Committee proposed simplifying the process for obtaining BAFA permits, which will help reduce delivery times and streamline exports from Germany.
During the conference, experts discussed industry challenges and risks, as well as opportunities and future prospects, through several roundtables and panel discussions.
Localization as a Central Topic
The central theme of the conference was localization. Due to the significant progress made under the "Pharma 2020" strategy, the industry is now poised for substantial changes in the future.
The "Pharma 2030" strategy outlines scenarios for the development of the pharmaceutical industry and its key performance indicators through 2030. According to the baseline scenario, the share of domestically produced medicines in overall consumption is expected to grow from 61.8% to 66.6%. The export volume of pharmaceutical products is projected to increase from $1.28 billion to $3.4 billion by 2030. Additionally, the strategy aims to raise the share of Russian medicines produced through a full cycle to 80% for those on the list of strategically important drugs. Currently, this figure stands at 67.44%.
Experts emphasized that the focus on localization should not disrupt the balance between ensuring the country’s technological sovereignty and maintaining access to advanced medicines on the Russian market. Representatives of the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade confirmed that the goal is not to localize the production of all medicines but to prioritize strategically important and vital drugs. Localization is not mandatory for operating in the Russian market but offers significant advantages, particularly in the government procurement sector.
Logistics as a Critical Component
Regardless of the localization strategy adopted by a pharmaceutical company, ensuring supply chain continuity and efficient logistics remains a cornerstone of the production and distribution processes. The industry faces numerous challenges such as export control restrictions in countries of origin, compliance with GDP requirements, maintaining temperature control during complex transportation routes, and carrier limitations on certain product categories.
In these conditions, an integrated approach with a logistics provider becomes crucial. This includes developing and validating new routes and transit hubs, risk analysis and mitigation planning, with quality control over transportation processes and equipment.
For effective logistics solutions in the pharmaceutical sector, WELLGO offers comprehensive product lines, including PharmSafe and TempSecure, ensuring the safe transport of all types of pharmaceutical products. For more details, visit our website at www.wellgo.ru/pharm.
