Spanish drug spend rises 9% in February

Spanish spending on drugs and medicines rose 9.6% in February 2007 over the same year-earlier month to about 960.0 million euros ($1.28 billion). The rise came just ahead of a regime of lower prices which was introduced on March 1.

The explanation given for the surge by the health administration is that it was due to the increase in the number of prescriptions generated in any month preceding changes in the price regime. Pharmacists moved to invoice for the totality of drugs dispensed ahead of the changeover. The largest increases in drug spending were in the province of Galicia (+16.1%) and the Canaries (+15.9%).