On April 1, IMS Health released a report finding that prescription drug sales grew 5.1 percent from 2008 to 2009, totaling $300.3 billion.  By sales, antipsychotic medications were the top selling class of drug for 2009 at $14.6 billion and antidepressants were the fourth highest at $9.9 billion.  IMS officials reported that increased use of generic drugs, coupons, and other payment reduction programs offered by drug manufacturers spurred sales figures.  In addition, IMS reports that generic drugs accounted for 75 percent of dispensed prescriptions in 2009.

From the press release:

In 2009, demand for pharmaceuticals proved stronger than in the prior two years, yet remained at historically low levels,” said IMS’s Murray Aitken, senior vice president, Healthcare Insight. “While the 32 innovative products launched last year brought important new treatment options to patients in a number of disease areas, including cancer, thrombosis and atrial fibrillation, they drove only a limited increase in drug spending. Access for the first time to lower-cost generic treatment options in the areas of epilepsy, migraine, and immune system disorders had a more moderate impact on market growth than generic launches in previous years. Stronger patient demand for prescription drugs throughout 2009, both for new therapy starts and refills, underscores the resilience of pharmacotherapies in today’s healthcare equation

For the press release: http://www.imshealth.com/portal/site/imshealth/menuitem.a46c6d4df3db4b3d88f611019418c22a/?vgnextoid=d690a27e9d5b7210VgnVCM100000ed152ca2RCRD&vgnextchannel=41a67900b55a5110VgnVCM10000071812ca2RCRD&vgnextfmt=default

IMS Health. (2010). IMS Health reports U.S. prescription sales grew 5.1 percent in 2009, to $300.3 billion.