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North America, which accounts for 45 per cent of global pharmaceutical sales, grew 8.3 per cent to $290.1 billion in 2006, up from 5.4 per cent in the previous year.

Generics constitute almost half of the volume sales and has a market in the US valued at $54 billion, according to IMS Health.

Legislative attempts to control drug expenditures, the increased influence of payers to drive more cost-effective healthcare, generics competition, and the introduction of new biosimilars will impact US prescription growth in five years.

In 2006, prescription volume of unbranded generics grew by 13 per cent and sales of unbranded generics grew by 22 per cent, especially due to generics entering the market for Zoloft and Zocor.

“Branded blockbusters such as Norvasc and Ambien are set to lose patent protection in 2007.

US pharmaceutical sales would growth at 6-9 per cent through 2010 as a result of the influence of lower-priced generics,” predicts IMS Health.

It is estimated that $80 billion worth of drugs are set to go off-patent progressively by 2010-15.

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