Austria's Krankenkassen drug bill down in 1st qtr

Austria's public-sector health funds' (Krankenkassen) have experienced a 3% fall in drug spending for the first quarter of 2009. Jan Oliver  Huber, the general secretary of the country's research-based  pharmaceutical association, Pharmig, explained that, despite over  500,000 influenza cases in January and February and more patients  visiting physicians, less money had been spent on medicines in those  two months. March had two extra working days than the previous year, due  to the fact that Easter falls in April this year. Consequently, an  output rise for March is to be expected, he added.