1997 Rx Retail Drug Sales Expected To Be Up 15%

US retail sales of prescription drugs will reach a record $89 billion in1997, with chain-operated pharmacies accounting for over $56 billion of that total, say year-end projections from the National Association of Chain Drug Stores. The NACDS estimated that total prescription drug sales will increase 15% over 1996 sales of $78 billion.

Just over 63% of these sales will come from chain-operated community pharmacies. Chain pharmacy industry sales will total $56 billion and include prescription drugs sold by traditional chain drug stores, as well as chain pharmacies operated by food stores and mass-merchants.

Overall prescription volume for community retail pharmacies has grown nearly 30% this decade, from 2.07 billion prescriptions in 1990 to 2.64 billion expected at end-1997, says the NACDS. In 1997, for the first time, traditional chain drug stores will dispense over one billion prescriptions, up 6% on 1996, said NACDS president and chief executive, Ronald Ziegler. Overall growth is driven in part by increased use of prescription drugs and therapy by managed care plans, the introduction of new drugs in the marketplace, and greater use of prescription drugs by an aging population, he said, adding that OTC medications sold in chain pharmacies are expected to grow 8% to a total of $26 billion, from $24 billion in 1996.