Tables 1–3 show the top 10 drugs for the year July 2016 – June 2017. The figures are based on PBS and RPBS prescriptions from the date of supply. This year's figures include prescriptions under the co-payment (non-subsidised).
The capture of below co-payment data probably explains why drugs such as amoxicillin, which were previously absent, now appear in the top 10 drugs by prescription count. Drugs for hepatitis C continue to dominate the top 10 most expensive drugs.
Table 1 - Top 10 drugs by DDD/1000 pop/day
Drug |
DDD/1000 pop/day * |
1. atorvastatin |
69.34 |
2. rosuvastatin |
50.14 |
3. perindopril |
49.23 |
4. amlodipine |
43.72 |
5. irbesartan |
34.02 |
6. candesartan |
32.5 1 |
7. telmisartan |
29.59 |
8. esomeprazole |
29.54 |
9. ramipril |
28.20 |
10. metformin |
23.61 |
Table 2 - Top 10 drugs by prescription counts
Drug |
Prescriptions |
1. atorvastatin |
10 354 080 |
2. rosuvastatin |
10 239 733 |
3. esomeprazole |
9 284 540 |
4. pantoprazole |
6 737 757 |
5. perindopril |
6 184 545 |
6. cephalexin |
5 473 562 |
7. amoxicillin |
5 445 791 |
8. metformin |
4 941 822 |
9. amoxicillin and clavulanic acid |
4 908 573 |
10. irbesartan |
4 076 242 |
Table 3 - Top 10 drugs by cost to government (does not include rebates)
Drug |
Cost to government |
DDD/1000 pop/day * |
Prescriptions |
1. ledipasvir and sofosbuvir† |
$969 208 772 |
43 139 |
|
2. sofosbuvir |
$927 284 256 |
1.70 |
47 160 |
3. daclatasvir |
$347 075 507 |
1.64 |
44 178 |
4. adalimumab |
$320 626 014 |
35.1 5 |
207 325 |
5. aflibercept |
$261 241 529 |
203 140 |
|
6. ranibizumab |
$213 069 1 1 8 |
169 657 |
|
7. trastuzumab |
$160 173 5 13 |
52 733 |
|
8. pregabalin |
$159 616 588 |
32.76 |
3 796 237 |
9. denosumab |
$152 044 886 |
36.24 |
534 918 |
10. etanercept |
$146 737 356 |
12.09 |
97 266 |
* 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. DDD includes use in combination products. The calculation is based on ABS 3101.0 – Australian Demographic Statistics for December 2016 (as at March 2017).
† DDDs in combination products are accounted for in constituent drugs
‡ The World Health Organization has not allocated a DDD for this drug
DDD defined daily dose
PBS Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme
RPBS Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme
Source: Department of Health, November 2017. © Commonwealth of Australia
