Catalonia’s pharmaceutical spending dropped by 23.9% in November compared to a year ago

Madrid (ACN).- Pharmaceutical expenditure dropped in Catalonia by 23.9% in November compared to the same month in 2011, according to data released on Thursday by the Spanish Ministry of Health, Social Services and Equality. Pharmaceutical turnover represented €101.6 million in Catalonia in November, instead of the €133.5 million it was twelve months ago. This means that Catalonia is the second Autonomous Community, behind Galicia, where drug expenditure decreased the most. The Spanish average was a drop of 15.18%. Furthermore, over the last 11 months, drug expenditure decreased by 13.11% in Catalonia following the main austerity measures to reduce it being implemented between May and July by the Catalan and the Spanish Governments. This represents a spending decrease of €1.69 billion.

The number of drug prescriptions issued in November in Catalonia decreased by 21.27% compared to a year ago. This means that the number of prescriptions issued per month in November 2011 totalled 12.9 million as opposed to the 10.2 million issued last month. Catalonia is also the second Autonomous Community with the greatest decrease, behind Galicia. In the whole of Spain, the number of drug prescriptions dropped by 13.60% in November compared to a year ago.

In November 2012, the average spending per drug prescription was €9.95, 3.33% less than that of a year ago. In the whole of Spain, there was a drop of 1.82%.

Looking at the number of prescriptions issued over the last 11 months, this number fell by 6.35%. Catalonia is also the second Autonomous Community with the highest drop; this time, behind Navarra. The Spanish average was 4.62%.