E-DRUG: The best selling drugs in the 20th century (2)
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A century is too long a period to make sense for a top 100 list of best selling drugs.
Both medicine, society, money and statistics have changed too much.
Decades may be more suitable periods.
The area should also be more precise. Should China, the Soviet Union, India, and
Japan be included?
Top 100 in money or doses (DDD)? In Norway reimbursement authorities reduces
the price with 70 per cent during the first year after patent expiry.
Are the figures available?
I believe it should be possible to estimate a year to year top ten list, and in that way
illustrate the rise and decline of blockbusters.
Stein Lyftingsmo
Hospital Pharmacy of Elverum, Norway
www.lyftingsmo.no
stein@lyftingsmo.no
[Australian Prescriber provides an annual summary of the 'Top 10' in Australia by DDD, by cost and by numbers of prescriptions to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). So the summary only covers PBS drugs. As Stein stays, the focus for study should be defined. BS]