Top 10 drugs
(Aust Prescr 2006;29:167)
These tables show the top 10 subsidised drugs in 2005-06. The tables do not include private prescriptions.
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Table 1
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Top 10 drugs supplied by DDD*/1000 pop/day
†
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Drug
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PBS/RPBS‡
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1.
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atorvastatin
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116.088
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2.
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simvastatin
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58.702
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3.
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ramipril
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35.897
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4.
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diltiazem hydrochloride
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26.970
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5.
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omeprazole
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19.531
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6.
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frusemide
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18.420
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7.
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salbutamol
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18.073
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8.
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aspirin
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18.047
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9.
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sertraline
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18.039
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10.
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irbesartan
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17.971
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Table 2
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Top 10 drugs by prescription counts
†
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Drug
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PBS/RPBS‡
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1.
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atorvastatin
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9 045 273
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2.
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simvastatin
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6 355 305
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3.
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paracetamol
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4 205 023
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4.
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omeprazole
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4 180 429 |
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5.
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esomeprazole
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3 715 500 |
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6.
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atenolol
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3 259 401 |
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7.
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perindopril
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3 124 409 |
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8.
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irbesartan
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3 025 037 |
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9.
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ramipril
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3 024 099 |
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10.
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irbesartan with hydrochlorothiazide
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2 962 120 |
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Table 3
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Top 10 drugs by cost to Government
†
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Drug
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Cost to Government
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DDD*/1000/day
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Prescriptions
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($A)
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PBS/RPBS‡
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PBS/RPBS‡
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1.
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atorvastatin
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522 357 695
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116.088
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9 045 273
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2.
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simvastatin
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330 247 669
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58.702
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6 355 305
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3.
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esomeprazole
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169 953 743
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14.265
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3 715 500
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4.
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clopidogrel
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169 947 052
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8.485
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2 179 960
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5.
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salmeterol and fluticasone
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165 917 558
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—
§
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2 839 015
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6.
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olanzapine
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154 623 092
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3.016
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745 603
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7.
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omeprazole
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149 094 755
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19.531
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4 180 429
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8.
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alendronic acid
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113 917 837
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9.177
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2 297 414
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9.
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pantoprazole
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103 564 509
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11.603
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2 733 589
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10.
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pravastatin
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102 445 719
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13.934
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2 018 695
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*
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The defined daily dose (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.
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†
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Based on date of supply
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‡
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PBS Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, RPBS Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme
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§
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Combination drugs do not have a DDD allocated
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Source: Drug Utilisation Sub-Committee (DUSC) Drug Utilisation Database, as at 9 October 2006. © Commonwealth of Australia.
