Lisbon, April 1, 2026 (Lusa) - Generic medicines in Portugal save €1,267 every minute, totalling more than €666 million for families and the state in 2025. Data released on Wednesday shows a slight drop compared to 2024.
Generic medicines have saved over €164 million so far in 2026, according to data from the National Association of Pharmacies (ANF) and the Portuguese Association of Medicines for Health Equity (Equalmed).
"Every second, generic drugs in community pharmacies saved €21.13, equivalent to €1,267 per minute, €76,000 per hour and more than €1.8 million per day for Portugal's families and the state," the associations said in a statement.
In 2025, generic drugs provided over €666 million in health care products, which is €4.1 million less than in 2024.
"This value suggests a relative stabilisation of resources saved by generic drugs, considering the growth since 2018. Between 2011 and 2025, generics saved over €7.2 billion," they said.
The associations noted that the 2025 savings equal the pharmaceutical spending of the National Health Service (SNS) local health units in Santa Maria, Coimbra, and São José. These figures come from a monitoring report by the National Medicines Authority (Infarmed), the government agency that regulates the pharmaceutical sector. The savings could fully fund the construction of the new Lisbon Oriental Hospital (€380 million) and the new Oeste Hospital (€265 million).
The chair of Equalmed, João Paulo Nascimento, said in the statement that generic drugs are strategic technologies for the SNS's resilience amid current geopolitical supply chain pressures.
He added that generic medicines are essential for health equity and access when the system faces rising costs.
Nascimento said these cost-effective medicines help reduce inequality, improve treatment adherence, and address chronic diseases.
Regarding supply, he said they help prevent shortages, secure the supply of essential medicines, and promote a more competitive pharmaceutical market.
The head of the National Association of Pharmacies (ANF), Ema Paulino, said the 2025 results confirm the decisive role that generic drugs play in the sustainability of the health system and in citizens' access to treatment.
"It is essential to revise the incentive model for generic drug dispensing in local pharmacies, in line with the 2026 state budget, to boost market share growth and continue generating savings for the country," she said.
Paulino stated that international data shows pharmacy incentives are key to increasing generic drug use and addressing medicine availability.
Cientis and an online counter on the Equalmed website, launched in 2020 through a partnership between the two associations, provided the data.
According to Health Market Research, pharmacies dispensed over 118 million packs of generic drugs in 2025, a 3.05% increase from 2024.
HN/LYT // ADB.
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