Portugal news - Is Portugal becoming a leading exporter in the health sector? Portugal has taken the limelight in the Health sector with Lisbon obtaining the status of European Capital of Health Digitalization at the HIMSS23 European Health Conference, while exports from the health sector have reached 34 billion euros in 2022.
Portuguese exports of medical supplies increased by 35% in 2022, showing a sharp rise in the output from the health sector, while the country is also becoming renowned for the quality of its products with highly demanding markets such as Germany, the UK, the US, Spain, France and Ireland being the main markets.
Portugal’s main export products from the health sector are pharmaceutical preparations, that account for 72.5% of total exports; followed by medical and dental instruments and supplies, that account for 18% of total exports; basic pharmaceutical products, that account for 8.7% of total exports; as well as radiation and electromedicine equipment, that account for 0.8% of total exports.
In the last decade, Portuguese exports from the health sector have increased more than twofold, and now includes 105,000 companies that employ 400,000 people. The first quarter of 2023 shows a sharp rise in exports that increased more than twofold compared to the same period the previous year, going from 479 million euros to reach 960 million euros between January and March this year.
With the use of innovative technologies and the digitalization of the health sector, Portugal is not only spearheading in the field of pharmaceutical supplies, but also in biotechnology with over 400 patents registered in the last decade and major biotech companies such as Amgen investing in the country.
While Portugal is quickly becoming a health tech hub and exports are reaching new highs, the industry is driving economic growth and is positioning itself as a leading exporter in the health sector.