World drug sales up 10% in year to May

Retail drug sales in the world's 13 leading markets rose 10% to $226.54billion in the 12 months to May 2001, reports IMS Health. Growth was driven by the USA, where sales were up 15% to $103.35 billion which, with Canadian sales up 16% to $5.76 billion, gave a total North American advance of 15% to $109.12 million.

However, the fastest-growing market was Mexico, up 17% to $5.16 billion, but the other two leading Latin American markets, Brazil and Argentina, declined 3% and 1% to $4.85 billion and $3.39 billion, respectively.

Australia/New Zealand grew 15% to $2.85 billion, and the top five European markets rose 8% overall, led by Italy, up 11% at $9.09 billion, and Spain, up 10% to $5.40 billion. France grew 8% to $13.28 billion, and the UK rose 6% to $8.95 billion. Japan, where IMS includes hospital sales data, advanced 3% to $49.82 billion.