APIFARMA

What APIFARMA does

APIFARMA — Associação Portuguesa da Indústria Farmacêutica — is a non-profit trade association founded in 1987 and headquartered in Lisbon at Avenida D. Vasco da Gama, 34. It represents 119 member companies active in researching, developing, manufacturing, importing, and exporting pharmaceutical specialties for human and veterinary use, including sera, vaccines, and in vitro diagnostic medical devices. The organization's stated mission is to defend the common interests of its members by providing representation, advocacy, regulatory frameworks, and information services to the Portuguese pharmaceutical industry. It is a member of EFPIA, IFPMA, and MedTech Europe, and is governed by a Board of Directors and General Assembly drawn from its members.

Revenue is generated primarily through quarterly membership quotas calculated as a permillage of each member's previous year's sales, supplemented by one-time admission fees (jóia) on joining and modest project-related income. Core service offerings include the Deontological Code governing industry conduct, the SIGREM pharmaceutical-waste management system (solely funded by APIFARMA), and Presif — a majority-owned subsidiary that acquires, manages, and collects outstanding hospital debt owed to member companies. The association publishes a monthly indicators dashboard tracking €611.7M in public hospital debt to industry, €116M in R&D investment, a 76.3% competitive market share, and 616 active clinical trials in Portugal. Complementary offerings include the monthly 'e-pharma' newsletter, a publications catalogue, conferences and events, the Prémio Jornalismo em Saúde (now in its 10th edition with Clube de Jornalistas), and the 'Tratar de Mim' health-literacy programme run jointly with ANF, DGS, INFARMED, Ordem dos Farmacêuticos, Ordem dos Médicos, and Valormed.

Recent strategic moves include the Portugal Clinical Trials international-promotion project co-funded by EU FEDER (2020–2023), incorporation of the MedTech Europe Code of Ethical Business Practice into its 2023 Code of Ethics, co-organization of the MedTech Portugal conference with APORMED in 2025, and the release of two new thematic publications in 2025 on vaccine-preventable diseases and the value of IVD tests in oncology. Leadership comprises President João Almeida Lopes and Director-General Miguel Ginestal. APIFARMA operates as an information and advocacy platform rather than a technology-product company and does not sell to end users.

Name

APIFARMA

Legal name

APIFARMA - Associação Portuguesa da Indústria Farmacêutica

Website

https://apifarma.pt

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

APIFARMA is the Portuguese Pharmaceutical Industry Association, a non-profit founded in 1987 that represents 119 member companies active in pharmaceutical R&D, manufacturing, and trade. It provides industry representation, deontological codes, hospital debt collection through its Presif subsidiary, and publishes sector indicators for Portuguese pharma.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pharmaceutical Industry Association

NAICS

Business Associations (813910)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPADANAJ

Health, Pharmaceuticals & Medical Devices Regulatory Cooperation

Business & Public Services/International Organizations & Development/International Standards, Policy & Regulatory Cooperation

SECONDARYBPADANAB

Technical Committees, Working Groups & Expert Panels

Business & Public Services/International Organizations & Development/International Standards, Policy & Regulatory Cooperation

SECONDARYHLAJADAI

Regulatory Affairs, Labeling & Advertising/Promotion Compliance

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Public Health, Government & Regulators/Medicines & Healthcare Product Regulators (Drugs/Biologics/Devices)

Keywords

• Pharmaceutical industry association
• Industry advocacy services
• Deontological compliance codes
• Pharmaceutical statistics reporting
• Health policy representation

Headquarters

HQ city

Lisbon

HQ country

Portugal

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership quotas: Member companies pay quarterly fees calculated using a permillage (per mille) rate applied to the previous year's sales. The permillage rate is set annually by the General Assembly as part of the budget approval process. An admission fee (jóia) is also required upon joining. This constitutes the primary revenue stream for the association.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

APIFARMA is the Portuguese Pharmaceutical Industry Association, founded in 1987, representing 119 member companies that research, develop, produce, import, market, and export pharmaceutical specialties for human or veterinary use. It defends common interests of its members through industry advocacy, deontological codes, statistical indicators publication, events organization, and hospital debt management through its majority-owned Presif subsidiary. Revenue comes from membership quotas calculated as a permillage of the previous year's sales and admission fees (jóia).

Product overview

APIFARMA is the Portuguese Pharmaceutical Industry Association, representing 119 member companies. It operates as an information and advocacy platform rather than a technology product company. Its offerings include the e-pharma monthly newsletter, published studies and reports on the pharmaceutical industry, the Tratar de Mim health literacy program, the Prémio Jornalismo em Saúde (health journalism awards), an indicators/statistics dashboard tracking pharmaceutical industry metrics, the Portugal Clinical Trials international promotion initiative, and deontological codes governing industry conduct. These services collectively support pharmaceutical industry visibility, knowledge sharing, and regulatory compliance in Portugal.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Programa Tratar de Mim: A health literacy program developed by APIFARMA in partnership with ANF, DGS, INFARMED, Order of Pharmacists, Order of Physicians, and Valormed, to raise awareness about responsible use of non-prescription medicines.
• Prémio Jornalismo em Saúde APIFARMA/Clube de Jornalistas

Quantifiable outcome

• 611.7M€ public hospital debt to the pharmaceutical industry tracked and monitored monthly
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

22 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Clube de JornalistascoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016APIFARMA and Clube de Jornalistas co-organize the Prémio Jornalismo em Saúde (Health Journalism Award) since 2016. The initiative promotes quality journalism dedicated to health, covering topics related to the NHS, health innovation, and economic development in health. The award has grown to 10 editions by 2026.
• Ordem dos MédicosminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2002Protocol signed in 2002 between APIFARMA and Ordem dos Médicos governing professional relations in the pharmaceutical sector.
• Ordem dos FarmacêuticosminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2000Protocol signed in 2000 between APIFARMA and Ordem dos Farmacêuticos governing professional relations in the pharmaceutical sector.
• EFPIA (European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAPIFARMA is a member of EFPIA, the European federation representing the pharmaceutical industry. Through this membership, APIFARMA participates in European policy discussions, aligns with EFPIA deontology codes, and contributes to EU-level pharmaceutical industry initiatives.
• IFPMA (International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers & Associations)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAPIFARMA is a member of IFPMA, the international federation representing the global pharmaceutical industry. Membership aligns APIFARMA with international standards and codes of practice.
• MedTech EuropecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAPIFARMA is a member of MedTech Europe, the alliance of European medical technology industry associations. APIFARMA publishes MedTech Europe's positions on in vitro diagnostics (DIV) regulatory matters.
• EUPATI PortugalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAPIFARMA and EUPATI Portugal co-organize conferences on clinical research, including 'IA Responsável em Ensaios Clínicos: Inovação com o Doente no Centro'. EUPATI-PT is the European Patients' Academy on Therapeutic Innovation in Portugal.
• ANF - Associação Nacional das FarmáciascoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerANF is a key partner in the 'Tratar de Mim' health literacy program, which promotes responsible use of non-prescription medicines through pharmacy networks.
• DGS - Direcção-Geral da SaúdecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDGS is a partner in the 'Tratar de Mim' health literacy program, contributing to public health messaging on responsible medication use.
• INFARMED - Autoridade Nacional do Medicamento e Produtos de Saúde, I.P.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerINFARMED partners with APIFARMA in the 'Tratar de Mim' program, contributing regulatory authority perspective on non-prescription medicines.
• Ordem dos FarmacêuticoscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrdem dos Farmacêuticos co-signs the 'Tratar de Mim' health literacy program, providing professional pharmacy perspective.
• Ordem dos MédicoscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrdem dos Médicos co-signs the 'Tratar de Mim' health literacy program, providing medical professional perspective.
• Valormed - Sociedade Gestora de Resíduos de Embalagens e Medicamentos, Lda.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerValormed manages pharmaceutical packaging and unused medicine waste. APIFARMA, representing the industry, is a founding partner alongside ANF, ADIFA and GROQUIFAR. APIFARMA is the sole funder of the SIGREM system.
• Presif - Serviços de Gestão e Consultoria à Indústria Farmacêutica, S.A.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPresif is a wholly-owned subsidiary of APIFARMA (majority capital). It acquires, manages, and collects outstanding hospital debts owed to member pharmaceutical companies. Its ultimate objective is the regularization of hospital debt.
• ADIFA - Associação Portuguesa de Distribuidores FarmacêuticosminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerADIFA is a partner in the Valormed system for pharmaceutical waste management, representing pharmaceutical distributors.
• GROQUIFAR - Associação de Grossistas de Produtos Químicos e FarmacêuticosminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGROQUIFAR is a partner in the Valormed system for pharmaceutical waste management, representing wholesale distributors.
• GenIbetminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGenIbet participated in APIFARMA's Open Day of the Pharmaceutical Industry initiative in 2026, hosting visits at its Oeiras facility as part of a national initiative to promote the pharmaceutical industry and connect academia with industry.
• iBET - Instituto de Biologia Experimental e TecnológicaminorStrategic or Co-development PartneriBET participated in APIFARMA's Open Day of the Pharmaceutical Industry initiative in 2026, hosting visits at its Oeiras R&D facility alongside GenIbet as part of a national initiative connecting academia with industry.
• Convenção Nacional da Saúde (CNS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAPIFARMA is a partner of the Convenção Nacional da Saúde, co-organizing the conference 'Inovação em Saúde | Despesa ou Investimento?' on July 1st.
• CIP - Conselho da Saúde, Prevenção e Bem-EstarminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAPIFARMA partners with CIP's Health, Prevention and Wellbeing Council for the conference on health innovation as investment vs. expense.
• Associação Portuguesa de Medicina Geral e FamiliarminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAPIFARMA's Director-General participated in the 'Conversas sobre investigação' initiative organized by this association to discuss clinical research in Portugal.
• APORMED - Associação Portuguesa das Empresas de Dispositivos MédicosminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAPIFARMA and APORMED co-organized the MedTech Portugal conference 'Perspetivar o Futuro' in May 2025, bringing together stakeholders and leaders of the medical technology industry.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• PhRMA (Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America): US pharmaceutical industry trade association operating at much larger scale but with the same essential mandate: advocacy, ethical codes, and industry data publication for member companies. Useful incumbent benchmark for industry reach and policy influence.
• IFPMA (International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers & Associations): Global pharmaceutical industry federation and APIFARMA member. Relevant for benchmarking the global-level counterpart to APIFARMA's national advocacy and code-publication functions, and for understanding the international ecosystem in which the association operates.
• EFPIA (European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations): European federation of which APIFARMA is a national member. Performs supranational representation, code-setting, and indicator publication that complement (rather than compete with) APIFARMA's national-level work. Useful reference for EU-level positioning.

Direct peers

• Farmaindustria: Spanish pharmaceutical industry association representing innovative and generic drug manufacturers in Spain. Most direct comparable to APIFARMA given geographic proximity, similar mandate (representation, deontology codes, hospital-debt advocacy), and parallel membership in EFPIA and IFPMA.
• ABPI (Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry): UK pharmaceutical industry association with the same core mandate: representing member companies, publishing the industry code of practice, and providing policy advocacy. Closest functional analogue in a mature-market European pharma association.
• vfa (Verband Forschender Arzneimittelhersteller): Germany's research-based pharmaceutical industry association, mirroring APIFARMA's advocacy, ethical code-publication, and statistics-publishing role for the German pharma sector. Comparable in industry-track function within EFPIA.
• AIFA (Associazione Italiana delle Aziende Farmaceutiche) / Farmindustria Italy: Italian pharmaceutical industry association performing equivalent representation, code-of-conduct, and indicator-publishing functions; another EFPIA national member with comparable industry footprint and operating model.
• Pharma.be: Belgian innovative pharmaceutical industry association. Comparable national-level representation function and EFPIA/IFPMA affiliation; useful peer for benchmarking services to a similarly sized EU member state.
• LEEM (Les Entreprises du Médicament): French pharmaceutical industry association performing the same industry-representation, ethics, and policy-advocacy role for French pharma companies that APIFARMA does for Portugal. Comparable scale and EFPIA member.

Regional players

• Medicines Australia: Australia's peak pharmaceutical industry body with analogous industry-representation, code-of-conduct, and stakeholder-advocacy mandate. Operates in a different geography but mirrors APIFARMA's value proposition for a single national market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/APIFARMA_
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCN-fBDjFs9vatHmXEmTQ2Xw
• Facebookfacebook.com/apifarma
• LinkedInpt.linkedin.com/company/apifarma---portuguese-pharmaceutical-industry-association
• Instagraminstagram.com/apifarmainsta

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about APIFARMA