Italian pharmaceutical spending reaches €6.78 billion in Q1 2026

According to monitoring data from the Italian Medicines Agency (AIFA), total public pharmaceutical spending reached €6,775.6 million during the first quarter of 2026. This represents a 7.6% increase compared to the same period in 2025 and exceeds the programmed budget of €5,507 million.

The total expenditure accounts for 19.26% of the National Health Fund (FSN). The budget overrun is primarily driven by direct purchases made by public healthcare facilities. Excluding medicinal gases and funds for innovative drugs, direct purchases totaled €4,380.5 million, significantly exceeding the established ceiling of €3,026.2 million.

In contrast, spending through the community pharmacy network (farmaceutica convenzionata) remained within its allocated budget. This sector utilized €2,328.8 million against a ceiling of €2,410.4 million, resulting in a surplus of €81.6 million. Medicinal gas consumption also remained below its threshold, generating a surplus of €4.2 million.