(ANSA) - ROME, NOV 12 - The share of pharmaceutical expenses shouldered by Italian citizens grew by 9.8% in 2023 compared to the previous year, data from medicine agency Aifa showed on Tuesday.
    Italians spent 7.1 billion euros with costs driven up by a rise in medicine prices and the prescription of more expensive drugs, Aifa said in its 2023 Osmed study.
    Overall, 54% of expenses (3.8 billion eurs) concerned prescription medicines with the remaining 46% over-the-counter medicines.
    The report on the use of pharmaceuticals in Italy said the most commonly purchased prescription drugs paid for by consumers included benzodiazepines, oral contraceptives and medication to treat erectile dysfunction for which 250 million euros were spent last year.
    Overall, total pharmaceutical expenses grew by 6%, reaching 36.2 billion euros, 68.7% of which were reimbursed by the National Healthcare Service.
    A total of 1,899 doses of medicines every 1,000 residents were consumed every day in Italy in 2023, including 69.7% which were shouldered by the NHS and the remaining 30.3% directly bought by citizens, according to Aifa.
    The most widely used drugs concerned the cardiovascular and gastrointestinal systems and blood, the study said. (ANSA).