20% Of World's Leading Drugs In 1992 "Of UK Origin"

Products of UK origin represented about 19% of the world's leading group of drugs in 1992 and about 26% by sales volume, reports the UK-based Centre for Medicines Research.

The average sales per medicine, at $796 million, is higher than any other country, it says. In only three countries do sales exceed the values of their relative domestic markets, and in the UK this is by a ratio of nearly three times, putting it in second place behind Switzerland. And, although the UK represents only 4% of the free world market for prescription drugs, UK-owned companies originated one-fifth of the leading products in 1992.

However, the CMR says the consistent ratio which it has found between sales and R&D expenditure suggests that pressure from price reforms and cost containment will have direct repercussions on the extent of R&D, forecasting that industry growth during the 1990s will be much reduced to only around 7%.