RETAIL PHARMACY SALES IN JAN-FEB

Drug purchases through retail pharmacies worldwide grew 1% in January-February 1994 to $17.82 billion compared with the like, year-earlier period, reports IMS International. The growth figures given exclude the effects of exchange rates.

The North American market grew 7% to $8.063 billion, with US sales rising 7% to $7.49 billion and Canadian sales up 1% to $573 million. The European market fell 1% to $6.88 billion, with Germany up 7% to $1.95 billion, France down 4% at $1.86 billion, Italy down 16% to $1.17 billion, the UK up 8% to $812 million, Spain up 3% at $601 million, the Netherlands up 4% to $244 million and Belgium up 1% at $239 million. The Japanese market fell 6% to $2.87 billion in the period; IMS notes that Japan's unique system reduces the importance of pharmacy in the distribution chain, and that sales reported are those occurring outside hospitals.

By therapeutic category, the biggest rises worldwide were 9% each for diagnostics ($196 million) and parasitology products ($32 million), while genitourinary products were up 7% to $902 million, alimentary/metabolism products rose 6% to $3 billion, blood agents were up 5% to $900 million, cardiovascular products rose 4% to $3.2 billion, central nervous system products were up 3% to $2.23 billion and dermatologicals rose 2% to $845 million. Hospital solutions were flat at $84 million. A fall of 13% was seen for hormone products, down to $260 million, while anti-infectives fell 6% to $1.99 billion, musculoskeletal preparations were down 4% at $990 million, and a drop of 2% was recorded each for respiratory products ($1.83 billion), cytostatics ($462 million) and sensory organ drugs ($398 million).