US prescription drug sales growth solid at 5.1%
This article was originally published in Scrip
Executive Summary
US prescription drug spending at wholesale prices grew by 5.1% to $300.3 billion last year, despite the economic turndown, according to data collected by IMS Health. In part, the growth was driven by sustained pricing, a greater use of speciality pharmaceuticals, which now comprise 21% of the US market value and rose by 7.5% last year, a lower impact from patent expiries, and an absence of major safety problems.