Retail drug sales in year to April 2008

Retail pharmacy drug sales in 13 major markets during the 12 months to April 2008 have reached $429.0 billion, reports IMS Health's Retail Drug Monitor. This is a slight improvement on the 7.5% recorded for the year ended March 2008, reversing a three-month downward trend (Marketletters passim). Since the last report, Italy has regained a lead over Canada, despite the former being one of only two countries to experience zero growth. All regions apart from North America accelerated compared with previous IMS Monitors. The fastest-expanding region remains Australia and New Zealand, with a combined market of $7.7 billion, up 12%.

The leading nations in the Latin American market grew 10%, up 1% from the March report (Marketletter June 16). Sales in the three Latin countries reached $22.9 billion. Argentina remains the fastest-growing market surveyed by IMS, with year-on-year growth at 21% to $2.8 billion, significantly improved versus the previous month's 19%. Brazil holds to a steady and vigorous 10% growth, the second-fastest rate for any single country covered in the survey. The retail drug market for Brazil remains ahead of Mexico's at $11.3 billion vs $8.7 billion. The latter's 6% is unchanged from the rate recorded in the previous study.

Biggest market, the USA, grew only 1%