The drug sales through retail pharmacies in leading 13 markets has moved up by five per cent to US$ 401.1 billion during the 12 months ended June 2007 as against $382 billion in the previous period ended June 2006. According to IMS Health, the growth rate during 2006 and 2005 remained same at five per cent. The five products viz., Lipitor (Pfizer), Nexium (Astra Zeneca), Seretide (GSK), Plavix (Bristol Meyer and sanofi aventis) and Enbrel (Amgen and Wyeth) remained at leading position.

According to IMS report, the US pharmaceutical market, largest in the world with the share of 51 per cent, improved by seven per cent from US $190 billion to US $203.4 billion. The Canadian pharma market also grew at a similar rate and touched to US $14.2 billion from US $13.3 billion. The growth rate in the major European market like Germany, France, Italy, the UK and Spain was only two per cent at US $100.9 billion as against US $98.9 billion.

Argentina pharma market achieved highest growth rate of 19 per cent during 12 months ended June 2007 to US $2.5 billion from US $2.1 billion in the preceding year. However, the Italian pharma sales declined by three per cent to US $ 15.2 billion from US $15.7 billion mainly due to pricing pressure and competition from generic products.