Latebreakers: IMS sees sales moderating through 2007

"Fast start, slow finish." That's how Douglas Long characterized the U.S. pharmaceutical market over the past year, ending in June 2007. Speaking at the NACDS pharmacy and technology conference, held last month in Boston, the VP of industry relations at IMS Health cited a number of factors slowing the market, from a dearth of product launches in primary care to unanticipated events, such as safety concerns that have arisen over erythropoiesis-stimulating agents and glitazones. For the full year of 2007, he expects to see a 5% growth in Rx sales by dollars.