Correlation between Drug Market Withdrawals and Socioeconomic, Health, and Welfare Indicators Worldwide

The relationship between the number of withdrawn/restricted drugs and socioeconomic, health, and welfare indicators were investigated in a comprehensive review of drug regulation information in the United Nations (UN) countries. A total of of 362 drugs were withdrawn and 248 were restricted during 1950-2010, corresponding to rates of 12.02±13.07 and 5.77±8.69 (mean±SD), respectively, among 94 UN countries. A socioeconomic, health, and welfare analysis was performed for 33 OECD countries for which data were available regarding withdrawn/restricted drugs. The gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, GDP per hour worked, health expenditure per GDP, and elderly population rate were positively correlated with the numbers of withdrawn and restricted drugs (P<0.05), while the out-of-pocket health expenditure payment rate was negatively correlated. The number of restricted drugs was also correlated with the rate of drug-related deaths (P<0.05). The World Bank data cross-validated the findings of 33 OECD countries. The lists of withdrawn/restricted drugs showed markedly poor international agreement between them (Fleiss's kappa=-0.114). Twenty-seven drugs that had been withdrawn internationally by manufacturers are still available in some countries. The wide variation in the numbers of drug withdrawals and restrictions among countries indicates the need to improve drug surveillance systems and regulatory communication networks.