Expiring patents, fewer new drug approvals, and safety concerns were among the issues that conspired to slow prescription drug sales in 2007 to its lowest rate of growth since 1961. The market research firm IMS Health reported that U.S. prescription sales grew to $286.5 billion, a 3.8 percent increase over the previous year. That compared to growth of 8 percent in 2006. Total U.S. dispensed prescription volume grew at a 2.8 percent pace compared with 4.6 percent in 2006. The firm reported branded drugs representing $17 billion in sales lost exclusivity in 2007, a fact that helped fuel a 10 percent growth in unbranded generic sales. IMS also found that safety issues contributed to “significantly lower-than-expected” sales for products accounting for about 10 percent of the total prescription drug market. In the U.S., IMS forecasts compound annual pharmaceutical sales growth through 2012 of 3 to 6 percent. Antidepressants ranked as the leading therapy class by dispensed prescription volume in 2007, perhaps an indication that the news may have industry executives a bit down.

TOP PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES RANKED BY 2007 U.S. SALES

Source: IMS Health

TOP PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS RANKED BY 2007 U.S. SALES

Source: IMS Health