German Pharmacy Drug Sales Up

Drug sales in German pharmacies rose 7.1% in the first five months of 1996 to reach 10.2 billion Deutschemarks ($6.63 billion), reports the drug industry association, the BPI. The rise in western Germany was 6.6% and that in the eastern states was 9.2%.

Drug specialty prices in the reporting period went up 1.4%, with prices of pharmacy drugs up 2% and those of hospital drugs falling 1.4%. Volume accounted for 4.6% of the rise in sales, with price rises accounting for only 0.3% of growth.

The main reason for the increase during January-May was a wave of colds and flu, which started in 1995. Respiratory system drugs benefited in particular from this wave, increasing sales by 9.5%. Sales of anti-infectives increased 10.9% and central nervous system treatment sales were up 11.3%.