DRUG SPENDING REACHES ALMOST $25 BILLION IN 2005

Total spending on drugs in Canada is estimated to have reached $24.8 billion in 2005, an increase of 11% over the previous year. The annual report released today by the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) looks at drug spending in Canada over the last 20 years. The estimated total drug expenditure per person in Canada for 2005 was $770, an increase of 10.2% over the previous year.

CNW Group (http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/May2006/10/c4889.html)