TAIWAN DRUG MARKET IN 1993

The pharmaceutical market in Taiwan grew 11.6% to a value of NT$31.6 billion ($1.5 billion) in 1993, according to figures released by IMS Taiwan. When products used in government-run medical institutions and certain specially-designated hospitals and clinics are included, the total reaches NT$33.2 billion ($1.2 billion).

The five leading therapeutic categories in terms of sales in 1993 were: gastrointestinal and vitamins products, up 7.4% to NT$7.7 billion; anti-infectives, up 9% to NT$4.8 billion; cardiovasculars, up 22% at NT$3.6 billion; respiratory system drugs, up 8.5% at NT$3.4 billion; and central nervous system drugs, with sales up 17.4% at NT$2.2 billion.

The top five products were: Zeneca's Tenormin (atenolol), with sales up 7.7% to NT$245.1 million; Glaxo's Zantac (ranitidine), rising 18.8% to NT$242.3 million; Bayer's Adalat (nifedipine), with sales ahead 13.7% to NT$241.5 million, Bristol-Myers Squibb's Capoten (captopril), up 25.8% at NT$239.7 million; and SmithKline Beecham's Tagamet (cimetidine), sales of which declined 5.3% to NT$227.6 million.