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Children Are Pharma's Fastest Growing Market - MEDCO

FYI

The growth in prescription drug use among children was nearly four times higher than the rise seen in the overall population. According to the 2010 Drug Trend report by MEDCO, children who are covered by health insurance are the drug industry's fastest growing market.

In 2009, prescription drug use for U.S. children increased by 5%, while prescription drug spending for children increased 10.8%

One-in-four American children are being prescribed adult drugs for chronic adult diseases.

"...the far more alarming trend since the beginning of the decade is the increasing use of medications taken by children on a regular basis and in some cases, for conditions that we don't often associate with youth, such as type 2 diabetes," said Dr. Robert S. Epstein, Medco's chief medical officer and president.

Read more: http://www.ahrp.org/cms/content/view/703/9/

The MEDCO Drug Trend Report:
http://www.drugtrend.com/medco/consumer/drugtrend/trends.jsp


Contact: Vera Hassner Sharav
veracare@ahrp.org
212-595-8974