8 August 2015 -  Australia's drug exports have slumped, falling 30 per cent over the past year, to put manufactured medicines way behind the ailing car industry.
An analysis of Australian Bureau of Statistics trade figures released this week found that Australia's pharmaceutical export industry is now worth about $2.5 billion a year, a significant drop from 2012 when it was worth more than $4 billion.
The latest figures, which Medicines Australia says should be "ringing alarm bells" in the federal government, show drugs have fallen behind car exports, which are worth more than $3 billion. Pharmaceuticals are also on track to drop behind the wine export industry, which is worth just over $2 billion a year.
A Medicines Australia spokesman said the drop was particularly concerning because there was a huge and growing demand in Asia for "safe" medicines.

For more details, go to: http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/medicine-exports-fall-30-per-cent-sparking-calls-for-policy-change-20150807-gityg2.html