The pharmaceutical market in Bulgaria reached BGN 6.5 billion, growing by 13% annually

The pharmaceutical market in Bulgaria continues to grow steadily, with an increase of approximately 13% per year, reaching a volume of BGN 6.5 billion as of May 2025. This was revealed by data presented by IQVIA during the conference “Beyond Healthcare: In the Era of Modern Pharmaceutical Care and Distribution,” organized by the Bulgarian Association of Medicines Wholesalers and Retailers (BAMWR). According to the data, the wholesale and retail pharmaceutical trade sector now accounts for over 2% of the country’s GDP and provides employment for more than 44,000 people, 15,000 of whom are directly involved in drug distribution. National pharmacy chains, which hold about 22% of locations, account for over 47% of sales value.

Furthermore, although VAT on medicines in Bulgaria is higher than the European average, drug prices in the country remain lower, leading to lower margins for both wholesalers and pharmacies. The Chairman of the Bulgarian Pharmaceutical Union, Master Pharmacist Dimitar Marinov, commented that the wholesalers’ share of the final price of medicines is approximately 2%, noting that the regulations determining the pricing mechanism have not been updated since 2011.

During the event, Kasper Ernst, Executive Director of GIRP, emphasized that wholesalers in Europe deliver over 15 billion packs of medicines annually to more than 180,000 pharmacies and hospitals. According to him, in 51% of cases, medicine shortages are related to manufacturing issues, and only in 11% to distribution. He also commented on the proposal to introduce a Full Track & Trace system for medicines, noting that such a system has not been implemented in any EU country and that the experience in Turkey does not show the expected efficiency, despite an estimated cost of between 1.5 and 2 billion euros.

The Executive Director of the Bulgarian Drug Agency, Master Pharmacist Bogdan Kirilov, stated that while there are wholesalers in Bulgaria who strictly follow legislation and the highest standards for storage and distribution, there are still companies that tarnish the sector’s reputation and require increased control from the regulator and other institutions.

The success of the mobile application “Find Your Medicine,” developed by BAMWR and the Association for Parallel Trade, was also reported during the conference. Over 4,000 alerts were submitted in a year and a half, and in 66% of cases, the sought-after products were actually available. The app is now also used by doctors and pharmacists for quick access to information regarding medicines with temporarily or permanently discontinued sales.

Trends in consumer behavior were also discussed. Although about half of Bulgarians are digitally active when searching for health products, a large portion prefer physical pharmacies due to direct communication with a pharmacist. Online pharmacies remain an important option for people in small settlements, although the online sale of prescription medicines remains prohibited. Despite the fact that the provision of health services in pharmacies is strictly regulated in Bulgaria, patients actively seek services such as lipid profile measurements, weight consultations, blood sugar checks, and training on how to use health devices.

It was announced that a program for administering vaccines in pharmacies with state reimbursement and training of pharmacists by doctors has already been launched in Romania. In Bulgaria, such activity is prohibited, and a large portion of the consulting services performed by pharmacists are unpaid. Prof. Momekov emphasized the importance of developing communication and consulting skills in future pharmacists, which are already being more actively integrated into educational curricula.