Top 10 drugs
Top 10 drugs 2015–16
- Aust Prescr 2016;39:220
- 5 December 2016
- DOI: 10.18773/austprescr.2016.090
ISSUE 6 DECEMBER
Tables 1–3 show the top 10 subsidised drugs for the year July 2015 – June 2016. The figures are based on PBS and RPBS prescriptions from the date of supply, and do not include private prescriptions or prescriptions under the co-payment.
This year’s tables are notable for the arrival of the drugs which aim to eradicate hepatitis C. Table 3 shows that since the drugs were subsidised in March 2016 the expenditure on sofosbuvir alone, or in combination with ledipasvir, is approaching $1 billion.
Table 1 - Top 10 drugs by DDD/1000 pop/day *
|
Drug |
DDD/1000 pop/day * |
|
1. atorvastatin |
52.81 |
|
2. perindopril |
33.82 |
|
3. rosuvastatin |
33.56 |
|
4. amlodipine |
30.66 |
|
5. paracetamol |
26.85 |
|
6. irbesartan |
25.60 |
|
7. esomeprazole |
23.18 |
|
8. candesartan |
22.71 |
|
9. ramipril |
20.40 |
|
10. telmisartan |
18.87 |
Table 2 - Top 10 drugs by prescription counts
|
Drug |
Prescriptions |
|
1. atorvastatin |
7 630 309 |
|
2. esomeprazole |
6 889 031 |
|
3. rosuvastatin |
6 540 962 |
|
4. paracetamol |
5 056 087 |
|
5. pantoprazole |
4 747 823 |
|
6. perindopril |
4 049 113 |
|
7. metformin |
3 578 536 |
|
8. pregabalin |
3 237 101 |
|
9. fluticasone and
salmeterol |
3 003 985 |
|
10. salbutamol |
2 975 537 |
Table 3 - Top 10 drugs by cost to government
|
Drug |
Cost to government (A$) |
DDD/1000 pop/day * |
Prescriptions |
|
1. ledipasvir and
sofosbuvir |
570 730 056 |
† |
25 205 |
|
2. sofosbuvir |
372 094 623 |
0.14 |
18 738 |
|
3. adalimumab |
335 857 859 |
0.62 |
194 405 |
|
4. ranibizumab |
241 256 012 |
† |
163 595 |
|
5. aflibercept |
231 194 036 |
† |
155 404 |
|
6. esomeprazole |
170 554 177 |
23.18 |
6 889 031 |
|
7. etanercept |
166 538 773 |
0.32 |
97 291 |
|
8. trastuzumab |
157 134 2 1 1 |
† |
50 217 |
|
9. fluticasone and
salmeterol |
148 878 399 |
† |
3 003 985 |
|
10. insulin glargine |
146 202 125 |
7.71 |
367 253 |
|
* DDD/thousand population/day is a more useful measure of drug
utilisation than prescription counts. It shows how many people in every
thousand Australians are taking the standard dose of a drug every day. DDD
includes use in combination products. The calculation is based on ABS 3101.0
– Australian Demographic Statistics for December 2015 (as at March 2016). † The World Health
Organization has not allocated a DDD for this drug. DDD defined daily dose
PBS Pharmaceutical
Benefits Scheme RPBS Repatriation
Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme Source: Department of Health, October 2016. © Commonwealth of Australia |
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