Founded in 2008, by a group of 55 organizations, as a private nonprofit association, the Health Cluster Portugal (HCP) (www.healthportugal.com) is a national cluster which currently brings together over 130 members, including universities, R&D institutions, hospitals and companies in the areas of pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, medical devices, ICT and services, among others.
HCP assumes as its mission to strengthen the competitiveness of Portugal in the research, design, development, manufacturing and commercialization of health-related products and services, in selected market and technological niches, targeting the most demanding and relevant international markets, based on the recognition of its excellence, technological level and competences in the field of innovation.
The health sector is a prominent, fast-evolving sector in Portugal, which has experienced remarkable gains in terms of quality and competitiveness during the last couple of decades.
The pharmaceutical and medical device industries have grown above the country’s average in recent years, with a marked rise in the exports to countries such as Germany, Angola, France, UK, Spain, Belgium and USA. Portuguese companies have high standards of quality and are capable of developing, manufacturing and supplying a wide range of products and services, with high flexibility.
Another of the main assets of the Portuguese health sector is the quality of the R&D system, characterized by the presence of world-class institutions and scientists, in areas such as cancer, neurosciences, regenerative medicine and nanomedicine, as well as state- of-the-art core facilities and a highly-qualified workforce.
This is accompanied by a high-quality healthcare system, with excellent professionals and modernly equipped, which allowed Portugal to reach and maintain its high-standard health indicators.
Under the auspices of HCP, the Portuguese “health ecosystem” is developing innovative projects in areas such as translational research, ambient assisted living, active and healthy ageing, and health tourism. Universities, R&D institutions, hospitals and companies are all working together in the development of new solutions for improving human health. This climate, together with the competitiveness of costs and other broad context conditions, make Portugal an attractive destination for investing, for performing R&D and clinical trials, and for health tourism.
Joaquim Cunha, Executive Director of Health Cluster Portugal (HCP), emphasizes Portugal’s need to discover niches in which the country can excel and compete globally, while rebranding its image around the…
Pedro Moura is the first Portuguese managing director of Merck in Portugal, taking on the role in September 2017 after a stint in HQ in Darmstadt, Germany. Moura discusses Merck’s…
Enrique Santos, president of the Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Portugal since 1998, observes the rapid change in the volume and nature of investments into Portugal in recent years. Santos…
Azevedos is one of the oldest pharmaceutical brands in Portugal. Lead by Thebar Miranda, president for 30 years it operates across Portuguese speaking companies and distributes worldwide. In this interview,…
Florian Ibe, managing director at Bayer Portugal, discusses market access hurdles, as well as Portugal’s expertise in scientific and clinical research and highly educated workforce. In three years of his…
Paulo Lilaia, president of the board of APOGEN and CEO of Generis, highlights the need for generics in the healthcare system and the government’s approach to their implementation. He also…
The Portuguese secretary of state for industry invites readers to discover the vibrant tech landscape in Portugal. Ana Teresa Lehmann unravels the reasons why Portugal is such an exciting investment…
Filipa Costa returned to Portugal in September 2016 to take on the leadership of the fastest growing multinational affiliate in the country – Janssen. In this interview, she reveals her…
Heitor Costa, Executive Director for APIFARMA, the Portuguese Pharmaceutical Industry Association, outlines the recent improvements in industry and governmental agreements, the importance of non-prescription medicines, and raising societal awareness on…
A new regulation is helping Portugal’s market access conditions for pharmaceuticals catch up with those of other developed European markets, with a jump in the number of approvals for 2017.…
Graca Didier, secretary general of AmCham Portugal, discuss the role of her chamber of commerce in promoting strong relations between America and Portugal. In addition, she comments on the cultural…
Joaquim Cunha, executive director of Health Cluster Portugal – a private, non-profit organisation dedicated to the consolidation of Portugal’s healthcare industry – discusses the up and coming changes to the…
Oscar Gaspar, VP of the Confederation of Portuguese Industry (CIP), president of the Portuguese Association of Private Hospitalization and former secretary of state for health (2009-2011), provides an informative insight…
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