World Drug Sales Up 6% In January-September

Retail pharmaceutical sales in the world's 10 leading markets grew by a total of 6% in the first nine months of 1996 compared with the like period of 1995, according to the latest figures from IMS International. This is the same rate of rise reported for the January-August 1996 period. Total sales in the top 10 markets reached $105.14 billion in the nine months.

The biggest increase out of the 10 markets was reported for Italy, with sales up 11% to $6.59 billion. Next largest growth was reported by the UK and Spain, both rising 10% to $4.93 billion and $3.82 billion respectively. Sales in Germany were up 8% at $12.62 billion, while the increase in the USA and in Belgium was 7%, reaching $43.33 billion and $1.48 billion respectively.

Growth on the Canadian market was 4% during the period to reach $2.77 billion, while Japan and France were up 2% each to $17.21 billion and $10.87 billion respectively, and the market in the Netherlands rose 1% to $1.48 billion. Nine-month growth on the North American market (Canada and the USA) was 7%, while Europe's top seven markets together showed an advance of 7%.