Healthy Skepticism Library item: 15325

Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.

Publication type: news

US drug sales growth continues slowdown in 2008
The Associated Press 2009 Mar 19
http://www.physorg.com/news156696781.html

Full text:

Sales growth of prescription drugs in the U.S. slowed for the second straight year, with the economic downturn playing a key role, according to IMS Health Inc.
Market research firm IMS cites lower demand for less-expensive generic drugs, lagging new product sales, and reduced consumer demand. Sales rose just 1.3 percent to $291 billion in 2008. That about matches IMS’ prior outlook of 1 percent to 2 percent growth.
In 2007, U.S. sales rose 3.8 percent to $286.5 billion, while they gained 8 percent in 2006.
Anti-psychotic drugs were the lead sales drivers, followed by cholesterol drugs and treatments for heartburn and related conditions.