Tables 1 to 3 show the top 10 drugs for the year 1 July 2022 to 30 June 2023. The figures are based on PBS and RPBS prescriptions from the date of supply.
Table 1. Top 10 PBS and RPBS drugs by DDD/1000 pop/day.
| Drug | DDD/1000 pop/day |
|---|---|
| 1. atorvastatin | 80.72 |
| 2. rosuvastatin | 77.95 |
| 3. amlodipine | 57.81 |
| 4. perindopril | 56.60 |
| 5. telmisartan | 36.14 |
| 6. candesartan | 36.13 |
| 7. sertraline | 30.11 |
| 8. escitalopram | 28.31 |
| 9. metformin | 28.25 |
| 10. irbesartan | 27.66 |
Table 2. Top 10 PBS and RPBS drugs by prescription counts.
| Drug | Prescriptions |
|---|---|
| 1. rosuvastatin | 16,742,825 |
| 2. atorvastatin | 12,337,802 |
| 3. pantoprazole | 10,389,022 |
| 4. esomeprazole | 8,422,704 |
| 5. perindopril | 7,210,539 |
| 6. escitalopram | 6,169,519 |
| 7. metformin | 5,977,899 |
| 8. sertraline | 5,758,365 |
| 9. cefalexin | 5,187,418 |
| 10. amlodipine | 4,941,942 |
Table 3. Top 10 PBS and RPBS drugs by cost to government (does not include rebates).
| Drug | Cost to government | Prescriptions |
|---|---|---|
| 1. molnupiravir | $661,259,241 | 595,195 |
| 2. elexacaftor+tezacaftor+ivacaftor | $513,199,439 | 24,024 |
| 3. aflibercept | $492,082,598 | 457,602 |
| 4. pembrolizumab | $460,250,095 | 54,229 |
| 5. nivolumab | $424,515,165 | 57,844 |
| 6. ustekinumab | $358,406,850 | 49,191 |
| 7. nirmatrelvir and ritonavir | $339,562,204 | 295,543 |
| 8. apixaban | $314,379,931 | 3,831,612 |
| 9. adalimumab | $285,082,794 | 333,285 |
| 10. denosumab | $279,008,764 | 1,108,401 |
DDD defined daily dose
PBS Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme
RPBS Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme
The prescription and DDD/1000 pop/day figures include under co-payment (non-subsidised) prescriptions.
The cost figures are cost to government, excluding any patient contributions.
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 2021.
Source: Department of Health and Aged Care, December 2023. © Commonwealth of Australia