Market shares for medicines launched in the previous 5 years

The relative share of medicines launched in the last 5 years show differences both across the peer group (a sample of other countries within and outside the EU comparable to the UK) and across the years 2009, 2013 and 2017. In this period, all of the OECD countries included in the analysis below increased their relative share for newly launched medicines in 2017.

Although the UK’s market share for products launched in the previous 5 years is the lowest in this group, the share increased in 2017. This is largely explained by launches of significant new classes of medicines, notably new treatments for Hepatitis C, cancer, diabetes and anticoagulation.

The analysis uses list prices and the IMS Midas definition for new products, which is broader than just new molecular entities (NMEs) and, for example, will include branded generics. Where possible new branded generics have been excluded (these will be formulations with significant sales).  The figure for Germany for 2013 has been omitted due to data issues.