Uruguay - Life SciencesUruguay - Life Sciences
Overview
Uruguay has a long tradition in the pharmaceutical industry with a highly skilled and knowledgeable local workforce. In addition, the government has an established, transparent regulatory framework in which companies and laboratories may operate.
Uruguay has over 30 pharmaceutical facilities authorized by the Ministry of Public Health, some with the Good Manufacturing Practice certificates. There has been investment in modern technologies for sterile filling of vials and syringes with biological products, as well as to produce molecular biology and immunodiagnostic and recombinant protein kits.
Pharmaceutical laboratories are either operated by multinational companies which reproduce global patented products or by local firms that manufacture similar or generic pharmaceutical products.
Leading Sub-Sectors
In the market there are pharmaceutical laboratories managed by multinational companies, manufacturers of patented products who belong to the Chamber of Pharmaceutical Specialties and Related Products, and national and regional companies. These companies manufacture and sell similar or generic pharmaceutical products and are part of the National Association of Laboratories, founded in 1943.
The United States is the third largest supplier of medicines to Uruguay, representing eleven percent of total imports. Regarding vaccines, the influenza vaccine is the product most commonly imported and the United States is the third-largest supplier, representing 11.4 percent of imports.
Opportunities
Uruguay’s pharmaceutical industry exports products and drugs packaged for retail sale, along with vaccines and antisera. Pharmaceutical laboratories in Uruguay are dependent on imported raw materials, because basic chemicals are not produced domestically. In 2018, medicinal imports from the United States are 58 percent of total imports, followed by vaccines which represent 31 percent of such imports from the United States. The absence of basic chemical production in the region propels companies to import raw materials for pharmaceuticals, principally from China
.
Due to its geographical location, free trade zones, and its legal and tax framework, Uruguay is positioning as a logistical hub for the pharmaceutical industry. The free trade zones, port and warehouse regulations provide a completely differential framework for setting up distribution centers to supply goods to the wealthiest cities in Latin America. Uruguay is also an attractive innovation hub for research institutes of international companies. The country offers government support coupled with a synergetic ecosystem that nurtures life science firms investing in Uruguay. In 2004, the industry began to grow, which led turnover to be trebled. Of a total amount of 227 million USD of exports from Uruguay in 2018, 43% correspond to products of international companies that used Uruguay as a distribution center, to supply the region.
Web Resources
Prepared by our U.S. Embassies abroad. With its network of 108 offices across the United States and in more than 75 countries, the U.S. Commercial Service of the U.S. Department of Commerce utilizes its global presence and international marketing expertise to help U.S. companies sell their products and services worldwide. Locate the U.S. Commercial Service trade specialist in the U.S. nearest you by visiting http://export.gov/usoffices.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Uruguay has over 30 pharmaceutical facilities authorized by the Ministry of Public Health, some with the Good Manufacturing Practice certificates. There has been investment in modern technologies for sterile filling of vials and syringes with biological products, as well as to produce molecular biology and immunodiagnostic and recombinant protein kits.
Pharmaceutical laboratories are either operated by multinational companies which reproduce global patented products or by local firms that manufacture similar or generic pharmaceutical products.
Leading Sub-Sectors
In the market there are pharmaceutical laboratories managed by multinational companies, manufacturers of patented products who belong to the Chamber of Pharmaceutical Specialties and Related Products, and national and regional companies. These companies manufacture and sell similar or generic pharmaceutical products and are part of the National Association of Laboratories, founded in 1943.
The United States is the third largest supplier of medicines to Uruguay, representing eleven percent of total imports. Regarding vaccines, the influenza vaccine is the product most commonly imported and the United States is the third-largest supplier, representing 11.4 percent of imports.
Opportunities
Uruguay’s pharmaceutical industry exports products and drugs packaged for retail sale, along with vaccines and antisera. Pharmaceutical laboratories in Uruguay are dependent on imported raw materials, because basic chemicals are not produced domestically. In 2018, medicinal imports from the United States are 58 percent of total imports, followed by vaccines which represent 31 percent of such imports from the United States. The absence of basic chemical production in the region propels companies to import raw materials for pharmaceuticals, principally from China
.
Due to its geographical location, free trade zones, and its legal and tax framework, Uruguay is positioning as a logistical hub for the pharmaceutical industry. The free trade zones, port and warehouse regulations provide a completely differential framework for setting up distribution centers to supply goods to the wealthiest cities in Latin America. Uruguay is also an attractive innovation hub for research institutes of international companies. The country offers government support coupled with a synergetic ecosystem that nurtures life science firms investing in Uruguay. In 2004, the industry began to grow, which led turnover to be trebled. Of a total amount of 227 million USD of exports from Uruguay in 2018, 43% correspond to products of international companies that used Uruguay as a distribution center, to supply the region.
Web Resources
- Embassy Contacts: Office.Montevideo@trade.gov; http://www.export.gov/Uruguay
- Ministry of Public Health (MSP): http://www.msp.gub.uy
- Uruguay XXI: https://www.uruguayxxi.gub.uy/en/
- Uruguay's Chemistry and Pharmacy Association (AQFU): http://aqfu.org.uy
- Chamber of Pharmaceutical Specializations (CEFA): http://www.cefa.uy
- Association of National Laboratories (ALN) : http://www.aln.com.uy
Prepared by our U.S. Embassies abroad. With its network of 108 offices across the United States and in more than 75 countries, the U.S. Commercial Service of the U.S. Department of Commerce utilizes its global presence and international marketing expertise to help U.S. companies sell their products and services worldwide. Locate the U.S. Commercial Service trade specialist in the U.S. nearest you by visiting http://export.gov/usoffices.