Volatility of the pharmaceutical market in China and the USA
by Stuart O. Schweitzer, Yingyao Chen, Sepideh S. Farivar, Jun Lu
International Journal of Healthcare Technology and Management (IJHTM), Vol. 7, No. 6, 2006

Abstract: This study measures the rate at which pharmaceuticals change their sales rankings from one year to another, the market volatility. Volatility is a useful way of describing the pharmaceutical market, and is a reflection of the rate of technological change, aggressive marketing efforts, and market concentration. Volatility is assessed for top-selling pharmaceuticals in the USA and Shanghai, China between 1997 and 2001. Volatility was substantial in both countries, averaging nearly 0.20 for year-to-year comparisons. Over the four year period volatility was nearly 0.5. Volatility tended to be higher in China than in the USA. The rapid change in sales rankings of drugs means that drug knowledge rapidly becomes obsolete and improved drug education is needed for physicians, insurers, pharmacists and patients.

Online publication date: Thu, 20-Jul-2006

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