THE top 10 drugs dispensed in Australia during the year Jul 2016 to Jun 2017 were dominated by blood pressure and cholesterol lowering drugs, with atorvastatin and rosuvastatin in positions one and two respectively for both pills popped per-day and prescription numbers dispensed.
Atorvastatin and rosuvastatin account for an enormous 30.45% of all scripts dispensed, with PPIs esomeprazole and pantoprazole comprising the next 23.69%.
The rest of the top 10 are made up of ACE inhibitor antihypertensive perindopril, antibiotics (amoxicillin, the amoxicillin/clavulanic acid fixed combination and cephalexin), diabetes drug metformin and angiotensin II receptor antagonist irbesartan for hypertension.
Interestingly amoxicillin has not previously appeared in the top 10, but this year's figures for the first time capture "below co-payment data" - that is, prescriptions which are not subsidised by the government because the cost is lower than the in-pharmacy charge.
However, when it comes to raiding the public purse, these drugs, which are mostly generics, have nothing on hepatitis C meds.
Harvoni (ledipasvir and sofosbuvir) leads the pack, costing the government almost $1 billion, followed by Solvadi (sofosbuvir) at $930 million, dropping to $347 million for Daklinza (daclatasvir), disease modifying antirheumatic drug Humira (adalimumab) at $320 million, and then macular degeneration treatment Eylea (aflibercept) costing $261 million.
Visit nps.org.au for the full lists.
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