Retail drug sales in year to January 2009

Retail pharmacy drug sales in 13 major markets during the 12 months to January 2009 have reached $436.8 billion, according to IMS Health's  Retail Drug Monitor. This is a drop compared with the previous monthly  report (Marketletter March 30). Although the UK remains the only  country to experience negative growth - for the seventh month running  (Marketletters passim) - two other countries in the survey saw no  movement. Australia and New Zealand, with a combined market of $7.7  billion, and Latin America at $23.9 billion, were the  fastest-expanding regions, growing 9%, down from 10%.

Argentina remains the fastest-growing market surveyed by IMS, with a  year-on-year rise of 23% to $3.2 billion, up from 22%. Brazil reverted  to 11% growth, the second-fastest for any single country covered in the  survey, reaching $12.2 billion. Mexico slid back to 1% expansion to  $8.3 billion.