April 11, 2008 – The number of drug prescriptions in Canada increased just over 6% in 2007, but the Canadian pharmaceutical industry grew slightly less than in previous years.
This is what data from an analysis reveals1 produced by IMS Health Canada, the world’s leading provider of business information to the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries.
In 2007, 422.6 million prescriptions were filled in pharmacies in Canada, compared to approximately 398 million in 2006 and 374 million in 2005.
Where does the slight decline in pharmaceutical profit growth come from? On the rise in the sale of generic drugs. These are used as a replacement for brand name drugs because of their lower cost.
In fact, the number of generic prescription products increased overall by 14% in 2007, while the sale of brand-name drugs was down 0.2% during the same year.
The most common prescription drugs are those for cardiovascular disease, followed closely by antidepressants, then gastrointestinal and genitourinary agents.
Overall, the growth in the number of prescriptions is holding steady across the country. Each year, Canadian physicians prescribe about 6% more drugs than in the previous year.
The selling price of pharmaceuticals, however, fell slightly because the exclusive patents for several brand name drugs expired in 2007. Year over year, Canadians are consuming more drugs and spending more and more on them.
Pierre Lefrançois – PasseportSanté.net
1. Slowest Growth in Ten Years: Prescription drug sales in Canada up 6.3 percent. The press release from IMS Health Canada, issued March 26, 2008, is available at www.imshealthcanada.com [consulté le 11 avril 2008].
