Top 10 drugs
Top 10 drugs 2022–23
- Aust Prescr 2023;46:93
- 12 December 2023
- DOI: 10.18773/austprescr.2023.030
ISSUE 4 DECEMBER
Tables 1 to 3 show the top 10 drugs for the year 1 July 2022 to 30 June 2023. 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 |
DDD/1000 pop/day |
|---|---|
1. atorvastatin |
80.72 |
2. rosuvastatin |
77.95 |
3. amlodipine |
57.81 |
4. perindopril |
56.60 |
5. telmisartan |
36.14 |
6. candesartan |
36.13 |
7. sertraline |
30.11 |
8. escitalopram |
28.31 |
9. metformin |
28.25 |
10. irbesartan |
27.66 |
Table 2 Top 10 PBS and RPBS drugs by prescription counts
Drug |
Prescriptions |
|---|---|
1. rosuvastatin |
16,742,825 |
2. atorvastatin |
12,337,802 |
3. pantoprazole |
10,389,022 |
4. esomeprazole |
8,422,704 |
5. perindopril |
7,210,539 |
6. escitalopram |
6,169,519 |
7. metformin |
5,977,899 |
8. sertraline |
5,758,365 |
9. cefalexin |
5,187,418 |
10. amlodipine |
4,941,942 |
Table 3 Top 10 PBS and RPBS drugs by cost to government (does not include rebates)
Drug |
Cost to government |
Prescriptions |
|---|---|---|
1. molnupiravir |
$661,259,241 |
595,195 |
2. elexacaftor+tezacaftor+ivacaftor |
$513,199,439 |
24,024 |
3. aflibercept |
$492,082,598 |
457,602 |
4. pembrolizumab |
$460,250,095 |
54,229 |
5. nivolumab |
$424,515,165 |
57,844 |
6. ustekinumab |
$358,406,850 |
49,191 |
7. nirmatrelvir and ritonavir |
$339,562,204 |
295,543 |
8. apixaban |
$314,379,931 |
3,831,612 |
9. adalimumab |
$285,082,794 |
333,285 |
10. denosumab |
$279,008,764 |
1,108,401 |
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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