Infrastructure as a basis for doing business - The health care system in Poland with a focus on its pharmacy market

Research Paper (undergraduate) from the year 2005 in the subject Economy - Health Economics, grade: 1,5, University of Cooperative Education Mannheim, language: English, abstract: The Republic of Poland is the largest country in Eastern Europe in population as well as in area. Since its entry to the European Union, Poland is one of the most attractive destinations for foreign investments. The seminar paper at hand focuses on the situation of the infrastructure in Poland with an emphasis on the current privatisation process. Right from the beginning of the transformation process, Polish politicians claimed to not only reform the economical system but also the social security system. However, it took some ten years to implement the first reform in the health care sector. Nonetheless, the new system suffers from efficiency problems resulting in a financial crisis. The development of the health care sector starting from the implementation of the General Health Insurance Act in 1999 will be examined further. One branch of the health care sector is the pharmacy market. The pharmaceutical segment is described as one of the most successful sectors for Poland in the future. The value-added chain, beginning from the manufacture to the point of the end customer was analysed with a certain focus on the legal regulations. Although free trade of goods and services within the boarders of the European Union is one of the member states' principles, pharmaceutical products are subject to a severe surveillance. The Polish government has introduced many rules and regulations to ensure a safe trade with Pharmaceuticals.