Pharmacies

19. Sep 2022
Aquaculture tops medicine sales list

The second-largest consumer group for pharmacies is individuals, for which sales have seen a modest increase from DKK 80 million in 2002 to DKK 94 million in 2021.

Medicine sales to hospitals have increased significantly, from DKK 13 million in 2002 to DKK 86 million in 2021.

Agriculture is a relatively small consumer group for pharmacies. Sales to this group totalled about DKK 2 million in 2002 and DKK 1.4 million in 2021.

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While medicine sales to the other consumer groups have been relatively steady, there have been dramatic swings in sales to the aquaculture industry. In 2004, the figure stood at DKK 7 million, increasing to a massive DKK 135 million in 2014, after which it declined to DKK 49 million in 2018, and by 2021 it had increased to DKK 111 million.

Medicine sales by treatment groups (ATC groups)

When compiling data for medicine sales by treatment groups, the Faroese Pharmacy Service uses a separate ‘defined daily dose per 1,000 inhabitants per day’ metric.

Here, we have a total increase in sales from 941 doses in 2002 to 1,587 doses in 2021, an increase of 61%. Representing 39% of all treatment groups, the ‘Cardiovascular system’ group is by far the largest, with a 68% increase in doses in the past 20 years.

Other large treatment groups are ‘Nervous system’ (with an increase of 71%) and ‘Alimentary tract and metabolism (increasing 83%).