Map o Alabama showing exploratory areas
Albania Country Commercial Guide
Learn about the market conditions, opportunities, regulations, and business conditions in albania, prepared by at U.S. Embassies worldwide by Commerce Department, State Department and other U.S. agencies’ professionals
Select Country Guide
Pharmaceuticals
Last published date:

Overview

Albania’s pharmaceutical sector includes around 200 pharmaceutical warehouses, more than one thousand pharmacies, 210 pharmaceutical private agencies, and 42 pharmacy hospitals. Imports dominate Albania’s drug market and most major international brands represented in the country. Locally manufactured products, while growing recently, continue to account for a small share of the total market.

The Ministry of Health monitors the pharmaceutical industry, and all pharmaceuticals, including over the counter (OTC) must be registered with The National Agency of Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices (http://akbpm.gov.al/?lang=en). The government sets profit margins for actors involved in the distribution chain for both reimbursable and non-reimbursable pharmaceuticals.

The Compulsory Healthcare Insurance Fund (ISKSH), which manages the public health coverage plan, includes a mix of Bismarck and Beveridge models. ISKSH develops an annual reimbursement list of pharmaceuticals that will be subsidized by the government for primary and hospital healthcare. For additional information, visit a list of reimbursable pharmaceuticals website (list of reimbursable pharmaceuticals website).

Two drug commissions annually approve the list of pharmaceuticals reimbursable by ISKSH. The commissions also define profit margins for importers and secondary distributors, as well as pharmacies. For more information, please visit Compulsory Health Insurance Fund (https://fsdksh.gov.al/).

In 2020, Albanian imports under chapter 30, “pharmaceutical products,” reached USD 232 million. Generic pharmaceuticals are popular in the market due to their lower prices.

Leading Sub-Sectors

  • OTC and Food Supplements
  • Opportunities

The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the demand for drugs in general and OTC, mostly vitamins and food supplements.  

Pharmaceuticals that treat cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes are expected to rise in demand. U.S. suppliers might also consider the pharmaceutical market for vitamins and minerals. The market for food supplements is also under-developed and represents additional opportunities for U.S. exporters.

Public hospitals procure the drugs thorugh public tenders, which are all announced in the Agency of Public Procurement portal. Interested companies should monitor the portal for opportunities. The private market also presents opportunities, and interested companies should engage local dealers, agents, representatives, or partners for assistance.

For more information on the Albanian healthcare system the following resources might be useful.

Resources

  • Compulsory Health Insurance Fund (https://fsdksh.gov.al/)
  • Ministry of Health
  • List of Reimbursable Pharmaceuticals (https://fsdksh.gov.al/project/lista-e-barnave/)
  • The National Agency of Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices (https://fsdksh.gov.al/project/lista-e-barnave/)

×

Global Business Navigator Chatbot Beta

Welcome to the Global Business Navigator, an artificial intelligence (AI) Chatbot from the International Trade Administration (ITA). This tool, currently in beta version testing, is designed to provide general information on the exporting process and the resources available to assist new and experienced U.S. exporters. The Chatbot, developed using Microsoft’s Azure AI services, is trained on ITA’s export-related content and aims to quickly get users the information they need. The Chatbot is intended to make the benefits of exporting more accessible by understanding non-expert language, idiomatic expressions, and foreign languages.

Limitations

As a beta product, the Chatbot is currently being tested and its responses may occasionally produce inaccurate or incomplete information. The Chatbot is trained to decline out of scope or inappropriate requests. The Chatbot’s knowledge is limited to the public information on the Export Solutions web pages of Trade.gov, which covers a wide range of topics on exporting. While it cannot provide responses specific to a company’s product or a specific foreign market, its reference pages will guide you to other relevant government resources and market research. Always double-check the Chatbot’s responses using the provided references or by visiting the Export Solutions web pages on Trade.gov. Do not use its responses as legal or professional advice. Inaccurate advice from the Chatbot would not be a defense to violating any export rules or regulations.

Privacy

The Chatbot does not collect information about users and does not use the contents of users’ chat history to learn new information. All feedback is anonymous. Please do not enter personally identifiable information (PII), sensitive, or proprietary information into the Chatbot. Your conversations will not be connected to other interactions or accounts with ITA. Conversations with the Chatbot may be reviewed to help ITA improve the tool and address harmful, illegal, or otherwise inappropriate questions.

Translation

The Chatbot supports a wide range of languages. Because the Chatbot is trained in English and responses are translated, you should verify the translation. For example, the Chatbot may have difficulty with acronyms, abbreviations, and nuances in a language other than English.

Privacy Program | Information Quality Guidelines | Accessibility