[Combination preparations on the West German market]

The role of fixed drug combinations in FRG was analyzed: 1. The overall fraction of combinations in the categories analyzed was 70% ranging from 24 to 94%. 2. The number of active ingredients runs up to 27 in one drug marketed in the FRG. Combinations with many ingredients were particularly found in the categories of analgesics, cold medications and expectorants. 3. The fraction of drug combinations is less in the top 100 in 1981, but increases continuously in the following ranks. 4. Under the new Medicines Act of 1976 the fraction of drug combinations newly introduced in FRG initially decreased, but now it is increasing again. At the same time the number of approvals of products containing recently developed ingredients goes downwards. 5. As compared to Sweden, Great Britain and USA drug combinations play an important role in the FRG, accounting for almost 70% of the market. The present analysis indicates no decreasing trend.