The Spanish Drug Market In First-Quarter 1996

Consumption in Spain of prescription and over-the-counter pharmceutical products amounted to 164.4 billion pesetas ($1.3 billion) in the first quarter of 1996, an increase of 8.4%, according to the Spanish Office of Health Economics' Bulletin for July.

The Spanish prescription drug market is becoming more and more affected by public consumption (reimbursement through social security), which in three years has expanded its participation from 73.4% to 79.6%. This increase is also present in terms of the numbers of units sold, said the Spanish OHE. In terms of units sold, the rise was from 62.2% in the first three months of 1993 to 66.5% in the first three months of 1996.

Consumption of OTC products in the first quarter represented 5.55% of the total market in 1993, and 6.45% in the 1996 first quarter. In terms of units sold, the market share for OTC products grew from 4% in 1993 to 16.3% of the total market in the 1996 first quarter.