Data firm IMS Health: 17 countries are emerging markets with big growth in drug sales coming

Data firm IMS: 17 countries now emerging markets

Drug data firm IMS Health now considers 17 countries to be “emerging markets” for prescription drug sales.

IMS says in each country, gross domestic product is less than $25,000 per person per year, yet revenue from prescription drug sales should grow by at least $1 billion between 2010 and 2015.

In descending order of current drug sales, they are: China, Brazil, Russia, India, Mexico, Turkey, Venezuela, Poland, Argentina, Indonesia, Ukraine, Thailand, South Africa, Egypt, Romania, Pakistan and Vietnam.

These countries are being targeted for growth by the pharmaceutical industry, which is increasing sales forces and opening new factories and research facilities there.