Top 10 drugs
Top 10 drugs 2021–22
- Aust Prescr 2023;46:92
- 12 December 2023
- DOI: 10.18773/austprescr.2023.029
ISSUE 4 DECEMBER
(Tables 1 to 3) show the top 10 drugs for the year 1 July 2021 to 30 June 2022. The figures are based on PBS and RPBS prescriptions from the date of supply.
Table 1 Top 10 PBS and RPBS drugs by DDD/1000 pop/day
Drug |
Prescriptions |
|---|---|
1. atorvastatin |
79.31 |
2. rosuvastatin |
72.88 |
3. amlodipine |
56.27 |
4. perindopril |
56.20 |
5. candesartan |
35.82 |
6. telmisartan |
35.78 |
7. sertraline |
29.39 |
8. irbesartan |
28.83 |
9. escitalopram |
27.72 |
10. metformin |
27.67 |
Table 2 Top 10 PBS and RPBS drugs by prescription counts
Drug |
Prescriptions |
|---|---|
1. rosuvastatin |
15,466,113 |
2. atorvastatin |
12,049,861 |
3. pantoprazole |
9,859,626 |
4. esomeprazole |
8,445,485 |
5. perindopril |
7,059,985 |
6. escitalopram |
5,900,833 |
7. metformin |
5,710,821 |
8. sertraline |
5,503,947 |
9. amlodipine |
4,692,222 |
10. cefalexin |
4,595,581 |
Table 3 Top 10 PBS and RPBS drugs by cost to government (does not include rebates)
Drug |
Cost to government |
Prescriptions |
|---|---|---|
1. aflibercept |
$499,498,076 |
419,217 |
2. pembrolizumab |
$441,706,702 |
52,050 |
3. nivolumab |
$409,231,391 |
53,097 |
4. ustekinumab |
$302,391,054 |
42,369 |
5. apixaban |
$280,585,128 |
3,434,854 |
6. adalimumab |
$275,493,403 |
307,116 |
7. denosumab |
$259,776,316 |
1,034,060 |
8. lenalidomide |
$245,744,314 |
44,757 |
9. ranibizumab |
$199,425,664 |
172,077 |
10. ocrelizumab |
$194,461,348 |
11,193 |
DDD defined daily dose
PBS Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme
RPBS Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme
The prescription and DDD/1000 pop/day figures include under co-payment (non-subsidised) prescriptions.
The cost figures are cost to government, excluding any patient contributions.
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 2021.
Source: Department of Health and Aged Care, December 2023. © Commonwealth of Australia
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