Drug sales up 5% in year to April 2006

Drug sales through retail pharmacies in 13 major markets grew 5% overall at constant exchange rates, or 3% in US$ terms, in the 12 months to April 2006, to total $371.27 billion, reports IMS Health's Retail Drug Monitor. The increase shows no change in constant dollars as recently reported figures for March 2006 (Marketletter May 29) and February 2006 (Marketletter April 24), although there is a continuing downward trend for the current US$ growth figure (12% in the year to February 2006).

Once again, the fastest-growing market was Brazil, up 42% to $7.83 billion (43% for March), while Mexico and Argentina saw slower growth, at 15% to $7.74 billion and 12% to $2.10 billion, respectively. Overall, the Latin American market's three leading players grew 26%, with no other region showing double-digit rises in the IMS Health study, almost matching previously-reported growth rates of 27%. The world's biggest drugs market, the USA, grew 4% to $187.0 billion, remaining slightly below half of the 13 countries' total sales. The Canadian market matched February and March's reported 14% annual growth to reach $12.50 billion.

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