FAIRFIELD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 9, 2005--IMS Health (NYSE: RX), the world’s leading provider of information and consulting solutions to the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries, today announced that audited and estimated unaudited global pharmaceutical sales grew 7 percent constant dollar in 2004 to US $550 billion. Nearly 45 percent, or $248 billion of all global pharmaceutical sales, were in North America. Of the major pharmaceutical markets, China showed the strongest year-over-year performance, growing 28 percent to $9.5 billion. “For the first time, global pharmaceutical sales surpassed the $500 billion threshold,” said Murray Aitken, IMS senior vice president, Corporate Strategy. “The global growth rate moderated as the market is increasingly influenced by pressures and uncertainties, including pricing, safety and regulatory issues. Nevertheless, market growth continues to reflect the unmet need for medications, as well as ongoing demographic dynamics that are strengthening underlying demand. New opportunities are emerging in markets such as China, and from sources of innovation in biotechnology, which will continue to fuel future growth.”
