Drug sales up 5% in year to May 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 May 2006, to total $373.48 billion, reports IMS Health's Retail Drug Monitor. The rate of increase shows no change from recently reported figures for April 2006 (Marketletter June 26), although the downward trend for the current US$ growth figure appears to have reached a trough (Marketletter May 29).

Once again, the fastest-growing market was Brazil, up 41% to $8.033 billion (42% for April), while Mexico and Argentina saw slower growth, at 15% to $7.80 billion and 14% to $2.13 billion, respectively. Overall, the Latin American market's three leading players grew 25%, with no other region showing double-digit rises in the IMS Health study, almost matching previously-reported growth rates of 26%.

USA back to over 50% of IMS markets