World Drug Sales Up 6% In Jan-Feb

Retail pharmaceutical sales in the world's 10 leading markets grew 6%overall to a value of $26.36 billion in January-February 1997, compared with the first two months of 1996, say new data from IMS International.

The biggest rise was in the USA, up 10% to $10.66 billion, with Canada up 8% to $676 million. France and Spain rose 7%, to $2.62 billion and $845 million respectively, while Italy was up 6% to $1.54 billion, and the UK rose 5% to $1.19 billion. Belgium was up 4% to $328 million, while Japan rose 1% to $6.26 million and Dutch sales were flat at $313 million. Germany fell 1% to $2.58 billion.

By therapeutic category, the biggest increase was for anti-infectives, up 13% to $3.16 billion, followed by parasitologicals, rising 12% to $48 million and central nervous system treatments, up 10% to $3.59 billion. Sales of dermatologicals were flat at $988 million, and hospital solutions fell 1% to $283 million.