World Prescription Drug Sales Up 8% In 1995

Retail sales of prescription pharmaceutical products in the world's 10 leading markets reached a total of $139.06 billion (excluding the effects of currency exchange rates) in 1995, an increase of 8% over sales in 1994, according to new figures published last week by IMS International. Sales growth for 1994 had been 5%.

Sales in the USA were above-average for the year, growing 10% to $54.7 billion, but the fastest growth out of the 10 markets monitored by IMS was reported for Spain, which grew 11% to reach $4.76 billion. The UK market reported an advance of 9% to reach $6.24 billion, while retail sales in belgium increased 8% to $1.98 billion, turnover in Germany was up 7% to $16.51 billion, France advanced 6% to $15.11 billion and the Netherlands rose 5% to total $2.07 billion. Overall growth for the top seven European markets was 7%, reaching a combined figure of $54.35 billion.

Prescription drug sales in japan, excluding the hospital sector) rose 8% to $26.44 billion, and in Canada they were up 4% to $3.55 billion.