From last week’s On The Record offerings, The Global Use of Medicines: Outlook Through 2015 from The IMS Institute of Health Care Informatics (slide 11). The figure shows that the percentage of the spending on pharmaceuticals that is comprised by generics differs across several developed nations. From a low of Japan (5% in 2010, projected 8-9% in 2015) to South Korea (31.7% in 2010, projected 34-35% in 2015). In the U.S., the percentage of spending on pharma that is comprised by generics is projected to rise from 13.4% in 2010, to 21-22% by 2015. Update: I clarified that figure shows % of spending and not % of prescriptions. h/t Brad Flansbaum for the close eye.
