$300 Billion dollar drug business for 2009!

[yabadabapal]

I was looking at some figures today and noticed the annual report of pharmacological sales in the USA for the period of 2009. Wow, are we on drugs.

The total sales for 2009 across the spectrum is $300 Billion dollars. That equates to approximately every person in the USA spending about $2.73 every 24 hours on some type of medication or drug, which is equal to about $1000.00 dollars every year for each person in the USA. I notice a significant margin increase of 7.5% in meds for chronic conditions which I assume parallels a significantly large percentage of the population that is getting older. What else I found interesting was that as patents have expired on many drugs, the generic drug market in fact accounted for 75 % of all drugs sold in the USA for this 2009 time period. In terms of types of drugs, one in particular spiked my curiosity. That would be the class of drugs known as “antipsychotic” which accounted for sales of 14.6 billion dollars for 2009. Antipsychotic meds in fact represent the top selling class of meds. The 2nd top seller was Acid Reflux meds. Anti depressants did $9.9 Billion for 2009, putting that class in 3rd place.

These figures on one level represent great returns for the investors. From another perspective these figures represent a story, and I don’t think necessarily a happy story. Why are so many people in the USA on antipsychotic drugs. Why are so many people having problems with acid reflux. Why are so many people on antidepressants.

What does this tell us about ourselves, the way we live, what we eat, how we are treated and how we treat others. What does this tell us about the choices we make, about our priorities. Are we becoming of society that on some level, doesn’t need to do the work to create a happy healthy lifestyle because there is a drug for almost every problem that may occur as a result of not taking care of ourselves, our families, and our country.

These are questions. Maybe you guys have answers. I don’t as of yet.

 

 

[motoguy128]

I believe antiphychotics include anti-anxiety pills which likely explains that as the top selling class.

 

There's a lot of stressed out people out there... or at least folks with unrealistic expectations in life.

 

 

I'd guess that 1/2 of the drugs sales could be avoided by patients making lifestyle changes.