IMS said US prescription drug sales grew 1.3% in 2008 to $291 billion amid increased use of generics, lower sales of new products and slackening consumer demand resulting from the economic downturn.
Dispensed prescription volume grew 0.9% for the year.
By therapeutic category, lipid drugs were the most widely dispensed, followed by codeine and combinations, antidepressants, ACE inhibitors and beta blockers. In terms of sales through retail and non-retail channels, antipsychotics led all therapy classes, followed by lipid drugs, acid reflux drugs and seizure treatments.
