Healthy Skepticism Library item: 8906

Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.

Publication type: Journal Article

Engel A, Siderius P.
Drug consumption
Schweizerische Apotheker Zeitung 1970 May 7; 108:342-344

Abstract:

A study on drug consumption over the last 10 years, conducted in Austria, France, Hungary, The Netherlands, United Kingdom and Sweden has led to several conclusions. The percentage increase in the cost of prescribed drugs exceeds that of the national income and seems to result from the increase in the cost of production rather than from the increase in the volume of prescriptions. When the ratio physicians/population is high (Austria, Hungary), 95% of the prescribed drugs are specialties. Prescriptions are greater in countries where health insurance policies prevail and prescribed drugs are distributed freely or at a nominal cost than in countries where patients have to substantially contribute to the payment of their medicines. The volume of pharmaceutical consumption is independent of state control and of availability on the market for a wide range of products. It has been noted though, that where a vast choice of drugs exists, the risk of using ineffective drugs increases. Advertising plays a considerable role in the prescribing patterns of physicians and on the layman’s self-medication; the need for noncommercial medical advertising is felt. The influencing factors in pharmaceutical consumption are not well defined and a precise comparison between the 6 cited countries is not accurate. However, there seems to be a relationship between drug consumption and the age, sex and economic status of a population.