Despite the recession, drug spending grew a robust 5.5 per cent in Canada last year, hitting $22.9-billion, newly released data show.
Canadians filled a staggering 483 million prescriptions in 2009 - an average of 14 each. Per capita retail drug spending was $680 last year, ranging from a high of $820 in Quebec to a low of $518 in British Columbia.
The most prescribed drugs were for blood pressure control (74 million), depression and anxiety (61 million), heartburn (33 million), and cholesterol-lowering (32 million). Hormone replacement therapy, despite controversy about its safety, remains popular with menopausal women, with 26 million prescriptions.
The data are published by IMS Health, a private company that tracks prescription drug sales.
The company also analyzes trends in physician visits - there were 334 million in 2009 - because a visit to the doctor often ends with a prescription. The top reasons cited for doctor's appointments were blood pressure management (20.7 million), depression and anxiety (15.9 million), routine medical exam (10.4 million), diabetes treatment (9.7 million), and respiratory infection (6.3 million).
The most striking change in Canada's drug habit is the growing use of generic drugs, a trend that is expected to accelerate as blockbuster drugs come off patent. Fifty-four per cent of the prescription drugs purchased by Canadians are generics.
André Picard