Portugal’s health and life sciences ecosystem, a high value-added sector, is distinguished by its excellence and competitiveness. Over the past two decades, it has evolved significantly and is now an international benchmark in several areas, including the pharmaceutical industry, biotechnology, digital health, and other healthcare fields. The sector stands out for the quality of its research centres, educational institutions, companies, innovation, talent, and overall competitiveness within the European and global contexts. This progress results from a strong national commitment to transforming the sector into one of the main drivers of the country’s economic and social development.
With an annual turnover of approximately €27 billion and a gross value added (GVA) of €8.4 billion, the sector comprises around 119,000 companies and employs more than 259,000 people.
In the past decade, Portuguese health sector exports have more than doubled, reaching €4 billion for the first time in 2024, across 183 markets globally. Since 2020, exports from the sector have grown at an average annual rate of 23.3%, with a 21.6% increase in 2024 compared to the previous year. These exports now account for 4.29% of Portugal’s total exports.
Export growth has been largely driven by pharmaceutical preparations, whose overseas sales have grown by an average of 29.3% in recent years, reaching €3.3 billion in 2024. Pharmaceutical preparations represent 82.8% of total sector exports, followed by medical instruments (14%), basic pharmaceutical products (3.8%), and radiation and electromedical equipment (0.6%).
The main export destinations are the United States, followed by Germany, Spain, France, and Belgium.
With an annual turnover of approximately €27 billion and a gross value added (GVA) of €8.4 billion, the sector comprises around 119,000 companies and employs more than 259,000 people.
In the past decade, Portuguese health sector exports have more than doubled, reaching €4 billion for the first time in 2024, across 183 markets globally. Since 2020, exports from the sector have grown at an average annual rate of 23.3%, with a 21.6% increase in 2024 compared to the previous year. These exports now account for 4.29% of Portugal’s total exports.
Export growth has been largely driven by pharmaceutical preparations, whose overseas sales have grown by an average of 29.3% in recent years, reaching €3.3 billion in 2024. Pharmaceutical preparations represent 82.8% of total sector exports, followed by medical instruments (14%), basic pharmaceutical products (3.8%), and radiation and electromedical equipment (0.6%).
The main export destinations are the United States, followed by Germany, Spain, France, and Belgium.
