Justification of Methodological Approaches to Optimizing the Assortment Portfolio of Pharmacy Organizations Using the Example of Antihistamines

Abstract

Andrey Borisovich Goryachev, Taisiya Ivanovna Kabakova, Victoria Viktorovna Prokopenko, Gasbulla Suleymanovich Barkaev, Natal'ya Nikolaevna Kuvshinova, Elena Yur'evna Lemeshchenko, Oleg Nikolaevich Afanas'ev, Fazu Tinamagomedovna Magomedova.

Background. The efficiency of the economic activity of a pharmacy organization depends on the optimal assortment and pricing policy, which allows obtaining the maximum total marginal income and meeting the needs of patients. To develop tools for increasing the profitability of pharmaceutical activities by improving the assortment portfolio of pharmacy organizations, a group of antihistamines was selected that are widely represented on the Russian pharmaceutical market and are in demand by end consumers.
Objective. Development of methodological approaches to optimizing the assortment portfolio of pharmacy organizations using the example of antihistamines drugs, by determining their rating in terms of profit from sales, analyzing the range of cost indicators and the level of state regulation of prices that ensure the profitability of pharmaceutical activities and the economic availability of this group of drugs for the population.
Methods. To achieve this goal, the methods of marketing analysis (ABC analysis), content analysis and documentary observation were used.
Findings. Analyzed data on the sale of antihistamines for 2019 in 22 pharmacy organizations in three cities of the Caucasian Mineral Waters region of the Stavropol Territory. The analyzed assortment included 66 trade names of antihistamines in various dosages and dosage forms. The cost analysis of the assortment of investigated range of antihistamines, carried out using the method of documentary observation, made it possible to distribute them into three price ranges and establish the drugs - the best sellers. ABC analysis of sales volumes and profits received from it made it possible to single out 17 trade names (25.7% of the studied assortment) of antihistamines, which form about 80% of the amount of profit from their sale. Content analysis of the "List of Vital and Essential Medicines for 2020" helped to obtain data on the level of state regulation of prices in the Russian pharmaceutical market for the group of antihistamines. Of the 66 trade names of the investigated drugs, state regulation of prices applies to 28 names (42.4% of the total number of names).
Conclusions. The studies have shown that, as methodological approaches to optimizing the assortment portfolio of pharmacy organizations, using the example of antihistamines, the following can be used: analysis of sales volumes and identification of the rating of the most popular drugs that form about 80% of profits (ABC analysis), as well as cost analysis and analysis of the level of state regulation of prices for drugs on the regional pharmaceutical market.