With approximately 21 billion in assets in 2024, medicines and vaccines are Italy's leading source of foreign exchange surplus. The national pharmaceutical industry set new milestones for output (56 billion euros) and exports (54 billion) in 2024, confirming its place as Europe's leader alongside Germany and France. Italian enterprises also lead in terms of added value growth, at +18%, compared to a cumulative GDP growth of 1.4%. Exports are the driving factor. In ten years, they have climbed by 157%, outpacing the EU average (+137%). In 2000, pharmaceuticals represented 3.5% of total manufacturing; today they represent 11%. Between 2021 and 2024, Italy ranks second in the world for pharmaceutical export value growth. The pharmaceutical industry is the leading contributor to the country's export growth. Farmindustria, the industry organization, comprises approximately 200 companies with both domestic and foreign capital, and operates more than 130 factories across the nation. In 2024, the sector employed 71,000 people, 45% of whom are women.