In a recent study by Fournier, 2024, prescribing patterns in 3 countries (England, France and USA) were compared. These are the conclusions of the study.
Top 10 prescribed drugs in England (in order, most commonly prescribed first)
- Atorvastatin
- Omeprazole
- Levothyroxine
- Amlodipine
- Lansoprazole
- Ramipril
- Bisoprolol
- Cholecalciferol
- Metformin
- Salbutamol.
Top 10 prescribed drugs in France (in order)
- Paracetamol
- Vitamins
- Low dose aspirin
- Amoxycillin
- Esomeprazole
- Metformin
- Levothyroxine
- Phloroglucinol
- Bisoprolol
- Alprazolam.
Top 10 prescribed drugs in USA (in order)
- Metformin
- Atorvastatin
- Gabapentin
- Lisinopril
- Metoprolol
- Amlodipine
- Levothyroxine
- Losartan
- Omeprazole
- Simvastatin.
Other conclusions
- There was significant variation amongst the most prescribed drugs between the 3 countries:
- No single drug was in the top 5 in all 3 countries
- Only 2 medications (metformin and levothyroxine) were in the top 10 in all countries
- Prescription ranks also varied widely between countries, ranging from first place (atorvastatin, paracetamol, and metformin) to 1555th place (alprazolam)
- However, with the exception of phloroglucinol, all the medications are prescribed in all 3 countries, and therapeutic classes are generally present in all 3 countries
- Amongst the most prescribed drugs, 67% have demonstrated their efficacy for at least one indication, according to our definition – backed up by randomised controlled trials
- In other words, 33% of prescribed drugs lack data supporting their use.
