Statistics on veterinary medicines

Overview of Estonian Veterinary Medicinal Products Market

Veterinary drug statistics is based on wholesaler’s reports. The statistics of veterinary medicinal products includes sales to general and veterinary pharmacies, veterinarians and to other institutions.

WHOLESALERS

In 2019 8 wholesalers sold veterinary medicines to veterinarians, general and veterinary pharmacies and to other institutions. As shown below two largest wholesalers covered over 82% and four largest wholesalers covered approximately 98% of the total veterinary medicinal products market and the share of the rest of wholesalers was modest.

VETERINARY MEDICINAL PRODUCTS MARKET

The veterinary medicinal products market is expressed in wholesale prices which includes the price of the manufacturer and wholesaler’s mark-up without the VAT.

The veterinary medicinal products market increased 6-9% in years 2012-2014. In 2015 the total sales decreased 5%. Since 2016 the sales increased again compared to previous year, reaching in 2019 to 14.59 million euros.

Figure 1. Estonian veterinary products market in 2015–2019

VETERINARY MEDICINAL PRODUCTS MARKET SHARE

Sales to the veterinary doctors or to the agricultural companies represented by veterinary doctor covered 87% (12.67 million euros) of the total veterinary medicinal products market in 2019. Over 6% (0.94 million euros) of veterinary medicines were sold to the veterinary pharmacies and 6% (0.85 million euros) to the general pharmacies. Sales to the other institutions were under 1% (0.12 million euros).

Figure 2. Sales of veterinary medicinal products in 2015–2019

VETERINARY MEDICINAL PRODUCTS MARKET SHARE BETWEEN ATCvet GROUPS

Based on ATCvet classification three largest ATCvet groups covered 66% of total veterinary medicinal products market: antiinfectives 23.7% (3.46 million euros), antiparasitic products 22.2% (3.24 million euros) and immunologicals 19.7% (2.87 million euros), followed by alimentary tract and metabolism (1.44 million euros), musculo-sceletal system (1.28 million euros) and genito urinary system and sex hormones (0.56 million euros). The rest of the ATCvet groups covered 12% of the total veterinary medicines market.

Figure 3. Estonian veterinary medicinal products market share between ATCvet groups in 2017–2019

ANTIINFECTIVES FOR SYSTEMIC USE

Turnover of antiinfectives

The turnover of antiinfectives increased until 2014, decreased considerable in 2015: compared to the previous year 19%, and stayed the same level in 2016–2017. In 2018 the turnover increased 16% compared to the previous year and in 2019 again decreased – compared to the previous year 9%.

The most sold antibacterials for systemic use by turnover were 3rd-generation cephalosporins (QJ01DD), pleuromutilins (QJ01XQ), fluoroquinolones (QJ01MA) and penicillins with extended spectrum (QJ01CA). The turnover of macrolides (QJ01FA) had decreased 39% in five years.

Figure 4. Turnover of most sold antibacterials in 2015–2019

The amount of sold antiinfectives by active ingredient

Of the overall sales of antimicrobials in 2019, the largest amounts were accounted for by tetracyclines (26%), penicillins (25%) and pleuromutilins (13%).

The amount of active ingredients sold in 2019 increased by 4.6% compared to the previous year, reaching 7.2 tons. The sales of sulfonamides and tetracyclines increased the most, by 48% and 33% respectively.

The use of antimicrobial classes included in the Category B of the AMEG categorisation – critically important antibiotics in human medicine – has decreased in 2019: sales of polymyxins by 47%, sales of 3rd- and 4th- generation cephalosporins by 15%, sales of fluoroquinolones by 8%.

Figure 5. Antibiotics for veterinary use in 2015–2019

The most sold active ingredients in 2019 were doxycycline, amoxicillin and tiamulin.

Table 1. The most sold active ingredients (antibiotics) in 2015–2019 (sold in kilograms)

ANTIPARASITIC PRODUCTS

In the last ten years the turnover of antiparasitic products has been constantly increasing – more than twice in ten years, reaching 3.2 million euros in 2018.

Figure 6. Turnover of antiparasitic products in 2015–2019

IMMUNOLOGICALS

In 2015–2019 the turnover of immunologicals remained between 2.5–2.9 million euros. 54% of immunologicals sold in 2019 were immunologicals for suidae.

Figure 7. Turnover of immunologicals in 2015–2019

HUMAN MEDICINES FOR VETERINARY USE

In the absence of authorised veterinary medicine, veterinarian can use authorised human medicine if necessary. The most sold human medicines for veterinary use were drugs for sensory organs, followed by drugs for blood and blood forming organs and antiinfectives for systemic use.

Figure 8. Human medicines sales for veterinary use in 2019