Abstract
Both policymakers and the public are interested in the size of the drug
market. However, often both the origin and the veracity of estimates made in this area
are unclear. To help understand this topic, this chapter summarizes the findings from a
literature review of studies that have attempted to produce an estimate of the size of the
drug market. Different methodological approaches and the challenges inherent in
estimating the size of drug markets are discussed. The greatest attention is given to
demand side approaches as they have been most commonly used; however, the supply
side and some more recent innovative approaches are also considered. The chapter
concludes by making some recommendations for future studies intended to improve the
evidence base in this area.
Keywords: Drug demand, Drug epidemiology, Drug market estimation, Drug supply, Wastewater based epidemiology.