The healthcare sector and its related industries are considered to be of strategic importance in Turkey. This is especially true when taking into consideration these industries’ social and economic impacts. Turkey affirmed its commitment to healthcare reforms with the implementation of the “Healthcare Transformation Program” introduced in 2004 by the Ministry of Health. These reforms marked a significant improvement in Turkey’s healthcare system, and they have been backed by investments in R&D and innovation in the healthcare sector.

Some key facts and figures in the Turkish pharmaceuticals sector:

• The Turkish market for pharmaceuticals reached a size of TRY 20.7 billion in 2016, growing by 16.5 percent over 2015. Unit sales rose by 4.7 percent over the same period, reaching 2.23 billion units.
• According to the IMS and Technavio reports, Turkey is one of the top 20 “pharmerging” countries.
• The Turkish pharmaceuticals market is expected to grow by 11 percent in TRY terms annually between 2016-2025, with an increase in per capita pharmaceutical sales from USD 97 in 2015 to USD 128 by 2025.
• There are approximately 300 pharmaceutical entities operating in the sector. Among the 67 manufacturing facilities that meet international standards, 12 are owned by multinational companies.
• There are 12 pharmaceutical raw material producing facilities in Turkey, three of which are owned by multinational companies.
• Approximately 31,000 people are employed in the pharmaceuticals sector, and more than 11,500 products are produced.
• Pharmaceutical exports, which stood at USD 610 million in 2011, have grown by 41.4 percent over the past five years to reach USD 863 million in 2016.
• Turkish pharmaceutical manufacturers are exporting to more than 170 countries, with the bulk of that trade occurring with the EU, MENA, and CIS countries.
• Regulations in the sector are in line with EU directives.

Some key facts and figures in the Turkish medical devices sector include:

• Turkish medical devices market surpassed USD 2.3 billion in 2016.
• There are approximately 1,000 medical device manufacturers in Turkey. There are also medical device clusters in Istanbul, Ankara, and Samsun provinces.
• The market is expected to grow by 6.7 percent in TRY terms annually between 2016-2020
• 29 new healthcare campus projects with a total bed capacity of 41,000 will cater to increasing demand in the sector over the next several years.
• The growing medical tourism sector, in which the number of tourists rose from 74,000 in 2008 to almost 1 million in 2016, is expected to further stimulate demand for medical devices.
• Medical device regulations are in line with EU directives.