6% Growth Of World Drug Sales, January-May 1996

The total sales of prescription drugs in the period between January and May was $58.48 billion, up 6% on the like, year-earlier period, reports IMS International.

Italy saw the greatest growth which was up 13% to $3.8 billion. Growth in the UK rose 11% to $2.7 billion, followed by Spain and Belgium, which had sales of $2.2 billion (up 10%) and $854 million (up 9%), respectively. Germany rose 7% to $7.1 billion, France was up 6% to $6.4 billion, while the Netherlands grew 4% to $858 million. The top seven European countries totaled sales of $23.9 billion, an increase of 8% on the same period in 1995. Sales in the USA increased by 6% to $23.5 billion, with Canada up 4% to $1.5 billion. Japan saw 1% growth with sales of $9.6 million, following a flat period after the first four months (Marketletter August 5).

Sales growth for each therapeutic category was the greatest for parasitologicals and blood agents, the former up 18% to $102 million, and the latter up 17% to $3.4 billion. Central nervous system and diagnostic agents saw sales of $8.03 billion (up 13%) and $712 million (up 12%), respectively. Cytostatics rose 11% to $1.5 billion, while alimentary/metabolism therapies and genitourinary products increased 9% and 8%, to $9.9 billion and $3.02 billion. Sales of hormones grew 7% to $903 million.