Spanish Offensive On Pensioners' Drug Spending

The Spanish drug industry association Farmaindustria and the Ministry of Health are in a coincidental alliance of concern over the level of drug costs generated by pensioners, who reportedly represent 74% of drug sales while standing at only 24% of the insured population. Drug spending generally has risen 130% in the past seven years and, with economies pending, Farmaindustria is concerned that they are not applied at its expense. It says that under existing agreements with the government, it has paid 65 billion pesetas ($516.6 million) in the last two years in various taxes.