Drug spending in OECD countries up by nearly a third since 1998, according to new OECD data

Spending on pharmaceuticals across OECD countries has increased by an average of 32% in real terms since 1998, reaching more than US $450 billion in 2003, according to new data released by the OECD.

These are some of the findings in OECD Health Data 2005, the most authoritative source of comparable health statistics among developed countries. OECD Health Data 2005 provides evidence of striking variations across the 30 OECD member countries in many aspects of their health systems, health status and health risks. This comprehensive database includes more than 1200 indicators, with some time series going back to 1960. An extensive documentation of definitions, national sources and estimation methods per country is included in the database.

OECD: Directorate for Employment, Labour and Social Affairs: Health policy and data: Health data http://www.oecd.org/department/0,3355,en_2649_33729_1_1_1_1_1,00.html

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