Ulcer drugs are the top-selling drugs in Bangladesh, with sales growing at more than 12% annually since 2015, due to unhealthy dietary habits, use of excess oil and of spices in food preparation and food adulteration.

Widely used drugs have annually earned 3,419 crore Tk to pharmaceutical companies in the five years to June 2020. This means that annual sales exceeded 4,200 crore Tk with current sales growth.

Sales of drugs used to treat cardiovascular problems have grown at the fastest rate of 16% per year, with heart disease on the rise due to physical inactivity, smoking and diabetes, among other factors.

In a positive development, however, growth in antibiotic sales slowed significantly over the period thanks to increased patient awareness, according to a research paper from UCB Asset Management.

Drugs used to treat digestive tract and metabolic disorders, including anti-ulcer drugs, worth Tk 8,832 crore were sold on average per year during the period, accounting for 37.50% of total drug sales.

Esomeprazole was the top-selling anti-ulcer drug, reaching 1,776 crore Tk, which accounted for 7% of the 23,000 crore Tk sold in Bangladesh.

The compound annual growth rate of sales of therapeutic drugs was 12.5%, according to the UCB Asset Management report, which was based on pharmaceutical market data from IQVIA, a US pharmaceutical consulting firm.

In 2015, the sales of drugs curing diseases related to the digestive tract and metabolism amounted to Tk 4,158 crore and accounted for 34.80% of the total sales.

“Our unhealthy eating habit is pushing the demand for anti-ulcer drugs and metabolism-related drugs to a high level,” said Md Mujibur Rahman, a professor at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University.

“Excessive use of oil and spices creates more acid in the stomach, so people take the drugs whenever they feel a disturbance in metabolism.”

Since consumers find instant results from taking the drug, they do not consult doctors. “As a result, they take medicine even if they don’t need it or need something else,” the veteran doctor said.

Of the sales of 8,832 crore Tk of drugs in the digestive tract and metabolism class, anti-ulcer drugs brought in 3,419 crore Tk. Revenues accounted for 14.70% of total drug sales.

“As people’s incomes increase, so does drug consumption,” said Abdul Muktadir, president and CEO of Incepta Pharmaceuticals.

Per capita income in Bangladesh rose to $2,591 in the last fiscal year 2020-21, almost doubling from $1,316 in 2014-15.

“When people’s income increases, they eat good food and maintain healthy hygiene and lifestyles. This improves their health and strengthens the immune system, so the incidence of infectious diseases decreases,” Muktadir said. .

Annual growth in antibiotic sales was 2.3%, the lowest of any type of medicine, according to analysis by UCB Asset Management.

In 2015, antibiotic drugs brought in 2,199 crore of Tk or 18.40% of total sales. Sales amounted to Tk 3,283 crore in 2019-20, or 14% of total industry revenue.

Mukadir says that when life expectancy increases, non-communicable diseases such as hypertension, diabetes and arthritis also increase.

In Bangladesh, the average life expectancy increased from 59 years in the 2005-2006 financial year to 72.6 years in the 2019-2020 financial year, according to budget documents from the Ministry of Finance.

Mohammad Mujahidul Islam, executive director of marketing and sales at Eskayef Pharmaceuticals, echoed Muktadir, saying that sales of drugs related to the cardiovascular system were increasing as the number of elderly people increased.

“People use social media excessively, which causes depression and makes people less active. It causes the rise of chronic diseases like heart problems and diabetes. It’s common all over the world,” said Islam.

Sales of drugs used to treat cardiovascular disease totaled Taka 1,147 crore in 2015, accounting for 9.60% of total revenue. It more than doubled to Tk 2,631 crore in 2020 with 11.30% share in sales.

About the slowdown in the consumption of antibiotics, Islam says that people have become aware of health hygiene, so that infectious diseases are relatively in decline.

“More importantly, people are more aware that overuse of antibiotics leads to antibiotic resistance.”

M Mohibuz Zaman, Chief Operating Officer of ACI Pharmaceuticals, said the use of antibiotics in Bangladesh has reached an abnormal level.

The government, non-governmental organizations and pharmaceutical companies are running programs to raise awareness about the rational and appropriate use of antibiotics, so sales growth has slowed, he said.

Medicines related to respiratory problems earned Tk 1,051 crore to manufacturers in 2015 and the market share was 8.80%.

In 2020, it increased to Tk 2,282 crore and the market share increased to 9.80%.

“Respiratory problems are common during a certain time of the year due to seasonal changes, air pollution and seasonal fever,” Zaman said.