Drug sales up 5% in year to February 2006

Drug sales through retail pharmacies in 13 major markets grew 5% overall at constant exchange rates, or 12% in US$ terms, in the 12 months to February 2006, to total $371.19 billion, reports IMS Health's Retail Drug Monitor. The increase is consistent with recently report figures for the whole of 2005 (Marketletter April 10).

The fastest-growing market was Brazil, up 40% to $7.44 billion, while Mexico grew 17% to $7.65 billion and Ar-gentina rose 14% to $2.07 billion. Overall, the Latin Amer-ican market's three leading players grew 26%, far out-pacing the performance of the rest of the world in the IMS Health study, as well as accelerating the previously-report-ed growth rate of 22%. The world's biggest drugs market, the USA, grew 4% to $185.10 billion, virtually half of the 13 countries' total sales. The Canadian market matched previously-reported 14% growth to reach $12.25 billion.

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