With U.S. spending on pharmaceutical drugs exceeding 300 billion dollars in 2010, it goes to show how large a part the pharmaceutical industry plays in our economy. That being said, recent growth in the industry has been sluggish and has steadily declined from 18% growth in 2001, to a mere 2.3% increase in 2010. It is suggested that this sluggish growth is the result of an increased use in generic brands and a loss of patents for the major branded products (a similar fate that led Vicodin to go from top seller to a generic pill once they had lost their patent). Nevertheless, aggregate spending has been increasing over the years, and it brings to light the question: which prescription pills do we spend the most money on?
The following is a list of the top five products by spending, taken from the IMS institute for healthcare informatics. Prospective Pharmacy Technicians read closely:
1. Lipitor
Often referred to as Atorvastatin and sold by the company Pfizer, Lipitor reduces blood cholesterol to help fight cardiovascular disease. It helps prevent strokes by stabilizing plaque and using anti-inflammatory methods. Although Lipitor is number one on the list, its current figures have declined steadily since 2006. At the end of 2006, spending for Lipitor was at 8.6 billion dollars. Today, spending on Lipitor has declined to 7.2 billion dollars.
2. Nexium
Esomeprazole, a drug marketed as Nexium and developed by AstraZeneca, helps alleviate gastro-esophageal reflux (GERD), commonly referred to as “Heart Disease.” Nexium works by reducing the gastric acid buildup in the stomach during times of digestion. Spending on Nexium has increased steadily from 5.1 billion dollars in 2006 to 6.3 billion dollars currently.
3. Plavix
Clopidogrel, marketed as Plavix and developed by the company Bristol-Myers Squibb is an anti-platelet agent that helps alleviate coronary artery disease. In March 2010, the FDA announced a black box warning sign on Plavix alerting patients for potential ineffectiveness of the product. Even so, Plavix still remains third on the list of pharmaceutical by spending. Placix has seen extraordinary growth in spending in recent years. Spending on Plavix was at 2.9 billion dollars in 2006, whereas today, Plavix ranks at number three on the list with 6.1 billion dollar spending despite the FDA’s black box warning.
4. Advair Diskus
Fluticasone/salmeterol, marketed as Advair and distributed by GlaxoSmithKline, is a formula used to treat asthma or chronic pulmonary disease. It works with steroidal power to, when inhaled, open up the lungs, making oxygen intake more efficient. Advair Diskus has not seen much growth in the past five years, with only a marginal 0.7 billion dollar increase from 3.9 billion in 2006 to 4.6 billion today.
5. Abilify
Aripiprazole, marketed as Abilify and distributed and developed by Otsuka in collaboration with Bristol-Myers Squibb, is an anti-psychotic used to treat bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and depression. Like Plavix, Abilify has shown remarkable growth. In 2006, spending on Abilify was at 1.9 billion dollars, whereas today, spending is above 4.5 billion. Although aggregate spending on drugs is not a clear indicator of the drug’s demand, it is certainly interesting that an anti-psychotic has risen to such great heights in recent years. Pharmacy technicians surely have witnessed higher amounts of Abilify since 2006.
Kristoph Oedman is a student of U.C. Berkeley who is currently pursuing a career in film.
