Latest trade
$900.6BGlobal sector valueHS2 sector intelligence
Pharmaceutical products
sector trade overview
A clear view of the pharmaceutical products economy: scale, momentum, market concentration, leading routes, and the products within it.
Explore the workspace Reported trade intelligence
Refreshed 2026-07-20
Refreshed 2026-07-20
The numbers at a glanceLatest reported year · 2024
Annual change
+25.6%Latest year on yearExporters
198Active reporting countriesImporters
200Active reporting countriesHS6 products
43Classifications in sectorThe sector read
$900.6B in trade, with +3.1% annualized growth over three years.
Pharmaceutical products is recorded across 14,007 active corridors, with 198 exporters and 200 importers in the latest available year.
Market signalGrowing+7.6% five-year CAGR
Annual trend
Momentum across three decades
Reported global trade from 1995 to 2024. Missing years remain unavailable rather than estimated. Read the methodology ↗
Top trade corridors
Where this sector moves
The leading exporter-to-importer relationships by latest reported sector trade value. See data sources ↗
Latest reported relationshipsTop 10 by trade value
| Rank | Exporter | Importer | Trade value | Growth | HS6 | Distance | FTA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | IrelandIRL | USA, Puerto Rico and US Virgin IslandsUSA | $41.6B | +8.7% | 33 | 5,129 km | No |
| 2 | Switzerland, LiechtensteinCHE | USA, Puerto Rico and US Virgin IslandsUSA | $28.4B | +1.3% | 31 | 6,339 km | No |
| 3 | GermanyDEU | USA, Puerto Rico and US Virgin IslandsUSA | $23.8B | +2.7% | 35 | 6,402 km | No |
| 4 | SloveniaSVN | Switzerland, LiechtensteinCHE | $20.4B | +82.9% | 19 | 481 km | Yes |
| 5 | BelgiumBEL | USA, Puerto Rico and US Virgin IslandsUSA | $14.9B | +11.8% | 35 | 5,904 km | No |
| 6 | ItalyITA | USA, Puerto Rico and US Virgin IslandsUSA | $12.4B | +29.8% | 36 | 6,907 km | No |
| 7 | SingaporeSGP | USA, Puerto Rico and US Virgin IslandsUSA | $11.6B | +36.4% | 26 | 15,347 km | Yes |
| 8 | Switzerland, LiechtensteinCHE | GermanyDEU | $11.5B | -0.4% | 37 | 674 km | Yes |
| 9 | USA, Puerto Rico and US Virgin IslandsUSA | GermanyDEU | $11.2B | +10.3% | 35 | 6,402 km | No |
| 10 | IndiaIND | USA, Puerto Rico and US Virgin IslandsUSA | $10.7B | +10.8% | 37 | 11,771 km | No |
Market structure
Where supply and demand concentrate
Exporter and importer rankings are separated so scale on one side of the market is not mistaken for demand on the other. Check coverage ↗
Top exporters2024 ranking
| Rank | Country | Exports | Partners | HS6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | GermanyDEU | $119.5B | 190 | 43 |
| 2 | IrelandIRL | $99.9B | 168 | 42 |
| 3 | Switzerland, LiechtensteinCHE | $97.2B | 184 | 43 |
| 4 | USA, Puerto Rico and US Virgin IslandsUSA | $95.0B | 191 | 43 |
| 5 | ItalyITA | $58.3B | 178 | 43 |
| 6 | BelgiumBEL | $55.1B | 189 | 43 |
| 7 | FranceFRA | $40.2B | 192 | 43 |
| 8 | NetherlandsNLD | $32.8B | 194 | 43 |
| 9 | SloveniaSVN | $28.6B | 143 | 42 |
| 10 | United KingdomGBR | $27.3B | 192 | 43 |
Top importers2024 ranking
| Rank | Country | Imports | Partners | HS6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | USA, Puerto Rico and US Virgin IslandsUSA | $209.3B | 140 | 43 |
| 2 | GermanyDEU | $71.5B | 150 | 43 |
| 3 | Switzerland, LiechtensteinCHE | $62.9B | 138 | 43 |
| 4 | BelgiumBEL | $44.0B | 142 | 43 |
| 5 | ChinaCHN | $39.1B | 114 | 43 |
| 6 | NetherlandsNLD | $37.0B | 140 | 43 |
| 7 | ItalyITA | $31.1B | 97 | 43 |
| 8 | FranceFRA | $30.9B | 167 | 43 |
| 9 | United KingdomGBR | $29.9B | 135 | 43 |
| 10 | JapanJPN | $28.3B | 88 | 43 |
HS6 product coverage
The classifications inside this sector
Explore the six-digit product classifications that make up HS2 30.
57 classifications shownBrowse the product workspace ↗
Glands and other organs: dried, whether or not powderedHS6 300110
Glands and other organs: extracts of glands or other organs or of their secretions, for organo-therapeutic usesHS6 300120
Glands and other organs: heparin and its salts: other human or animal substances prepared for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, n.e.c. in heading 3001HS6 300190
Blood: human or animal, antisera and other blood fractions and modified immunological products, whether or not obtained by means of biotechnological processesHS6 300210
Blood, human or animal, antisera, other blood fractions and immunological products: malaria diagnostic test kitsHS6 300211
Blood, human or animal, antisera, other blood fractions and immunological products: antisera and other blood fractionsHS6 300212
Blood, human or animal, antisera, other blood fractions and immunological products: immunological products, unmixed, not put up in measured doses or in forms or packings for retail saleHS6 300213
Blood, human or animal, antisera, other blood fractions and immunological products: immunological products, mixed, put up in measured doses or in forms or packings for retail saleHS6 300214
Blood, human or animal, antisera, other blood fractions and immunological products: immunological products, put up in measured doses or in forms or packings for retail saleHS6 300215
Blood, human or animal, antisera, other blood fractions and immunological products: n.e.c. in heading 3002.1HS6 300219
Vaccines: for human medicineHS6 300220
Vaccines: for veterinary medicineHS6 300230
Vaccines: for veterinary medicine, against foot and mouth diseaseHS6 300231
Vaccines: for veterinary medicine, for other uses than against foot and mouth diseaseHS6 300239
Vaccines, toxins, cultures of micro-organisms (excluding yeasts) and similar products: for human medicineHS6 300241
Vaccines, toxins, cultures of micro-organisms (excluding yeasts) and similar products: for veterinary medicineHS6 300242
Toxins, cultures of micro-organisms (excluding yeasts) and similar products: n.e.c. in item 3002.3HS6 300249
Cell cultures, whether or not modified: cell therapy productsHS6 300251
Cell cultures, whether or not modified: other cell cultures not including cell therapy productsHS6 300259
Toxins, cultures of micro-organisms (excluding yeasts) and similar productsHS6 300290
Medicaments: containing penicillins, streptomycins or their derivatives, for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, (not in measured doses, not packaged for retail sale)HS6 300310
Medicaments: containing antibiotics other than penicillins, streptomycins and their derivatives, for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, (not in measured doses, not packaged for retail sale)HS6 300320
Medicaments: containing insulin (but not containing antibiotics), for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, not packaged for retail saleHS6 300331
Medicaments: containing hormones (excluding insulin), (but not containing antibiotics), for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, not packaged for retail saleHS6 300339
Medicaments: containing alkaloids or their derivatives, (but not containing hormones or antibiotics), for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, (not packaged for retail sale)HS6 300340
Medicaments: containing alkaloids or their derivatives, containing ephedrine or its salts, for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, (not packaged for retail sale)HS6 300341
Medicaments: containing alkaloids or their derivatives, containing pseudoephedrine (INN) or its salts, for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, (not packaged for retail sale)HS6 300342
Medicaments: containing alkaloids or their derivatives, containing norephedrine or its salts, for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, (not packaged for retail sale)HS6 300343
Medicaments: containing alkaloids or their derivatives: other than ephedrine, pseudoephedrine (INN) or norephedrine or their salts: for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, (not packaged for retail sale)HS6 300349
Medicaments: containing antimalarial active principles described in subheading note 2 to this chapter, for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, (not packaged for retail sale)HS6 300360
Medicaments: (not containing antibiotics, hormones, alkaloids or their derivatives), for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, (not packaged for retail sale)HS6 300390
Medicaments: containing penicillins, streptomycins or their derivatives, for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, packaged for retail saleHS6 300410
Medicaments: containing antibiotics (other than penicillins, streptomycins or their derivatives), for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, packaged for retail saleHS6 300420
Medicaments: containing insulin, for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, packaged for retail saleHS6 300431
Medicaments: containing corticosteroid hormones, their derivatives or structural analogues (but not containing antibiotics), for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, packaged for retail saleHS6 300432
Medicaments: containing hormones (but not insulin), adrenal cortex hormones or antibiotics, for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, packaged for retail saleHS6 300439
Medicaments: containing alkaloids or their derivatives (but not hormones or antibiotics), for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, packaged for retail saleHS6 300440
Medicaments: containing alkaloids or their derivatives, containing ephedrine or its salts, for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, packaged for retail saleHS6 300441
Medicaments: containing alkaloids or their derivatives, containing pseudoephedrine (INN) or its salts, for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, packaged for retail saleHS6 300442
Medicaments: containing alkaloids or their derivatives, containing norephedrine or its salts, for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, packaged for retail saleHS6 300443
Medicaments: containing alkaloids or their derivatives: other than ephedrine, pseudoephedrine (INN) or norephedrine or their salts: for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, packaged for retail saleHS6 300449
Medicaments: containing vitamins or their derivatives, for therapeutic or prophylactic use, packaged for retail saleHS6 300450
Medicaments: containing antimalarial active principles described in Subheading Note 2 to this Chapter, for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, packaged for retail saleHS6 300460
Medicaments: consisting of mixed or unmixed products n.e.s. in heading no. 3004, for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, packaged for retail saleHS6 300490
Dressings, adhesive: and other articles having an adhesive layer, packed for retail sale for medical, surgical, dental or veterinary purposesHS6 300510
Wadding, gauze, bandages and similar articles: (excluding adhesive dressings), impregnated or coated with pharmaceutical substances, packaged for retail saleHS6 300590
Pharmaceutical goods: sterile surgical catgut, suture materials, tissue adhesives, laminaria, laminaria tents, absorbable surgical or dental haemostatics, and surgical or dental adhesion barriersHS6 300610
Pharmaceutical goods: blood-grouping reagentsHS6 300620
Pharmaceutical goods: opacifying preparations for x-ray examinations, diagnostic reagents designed to be administered to the patientHS6 300630
Pharmaceutical goods: dental cements and other dental fillings, bone reconstruction cementsHS6 300640
Pharmaceutical goods: first aid boxes and kitsHS6 300650
Pharmaceutical goods: chemical contraceptive preparations based on hormones or spermicidesHS6 300660
Pharmaceutical goods: Gel preparations designed to be used in human or veterinary medicine as a lubricant for parts of the body for surgical operations or physical examinations or as a coupling agent between the body and medical instrumentsHS6 300670
Pharmaceutical goods: waste pharmaceuticalsHS6 300680
Pharmaceutical goods: appliances identifiable for ostomy useHS6 300691
Pharmaceutical goods: waste pharmaceuticalsHS6 300692
Pharmaceutical goods: placebos and blinded (or double-blinded) clinical trial kits for a recognised clinical trial, put up in measured dosesHS6 300693
Definitions and coverage
Read the numbers with context
Clear definitions keep reported observations and calculated indicators in their proper context. Read our Responsible AI principles ↗
Reported values
Trade values describe reported merchandise trade for the HS2 classification. They are not company-level sales, retail quotes, or shipment records.
Calculated indicators
Growth, concentration, volatility, and peak comparisons are calculated from reported observations and should be read with their coverage period.
Missing data
A missing observation remains unavailable. It is not filled, interpolated, or presented as a forecast.
Coverage: 1995–2024 · Data refreshed 2026-07-20 09:34:08
Data source
OECD trade statistics with CEPII context
OECD (2025), Balanced international merchandise trade statistics (BIMTS) - HS2017-6D, OECD Data Explorer (accessed on 2026-08-27). OECD BIMTS is the primary trade series for this view. Supporting bilateral trade context uses CEPII BACI bilateral trade flows (202601) under Etalab 2.0 Open Licence. Yugalinks presents derived views of reported observations and calculated indicators. Data terms: OECD Terms & Conditions.