Following is a compilation of known data on OTC retail sales. The figures differ depending upon the source and differing definitions as to what constitutes "OTCs."
| Year |
Size in $Billions |
| 2011 |
17.4**** |
| 2010 |
17.0**** |
| 2009 |
17.0**** |
| 2008 |
16.8**** |
| 2007 |
16.0**** |
| 2006 |
15.3**** |
| 2005 |
15.0**** |
| 2004 |
14.1**** |
| 2003 |
14.2**** |
| 2002 |
13.6**** |
| 2001 |
15.0**** |
| 2000 |
14.7**** |
| 1999 |
18.9 |
| 1998 |
17.8 |
| 1997 |
17.4 |
| 1996 |
16.5 |
| 1995 |
15.4 (see note) |
| 1994 |
13.5 |
| 1993 |
13.3 |
| 1992 |
12.2 |
| 1991 |
10.9 |
| 1990 |
10.3 |
| 1989 |
9.7 |
| 1988 |
9.2 |
| 1987 |
13.3*** |
| 1986 |
8.5** |
| 1985 |
NA |
| 1984 |
7.4 |
| 1983 |
6.9 |
| 1982 |
6.2 |
| 1981 |
5.8 |
| 1980 |
5.5 |
| 1979 |
4.9 |
| 1978 |
4.7 |
| 1977 |
4.5* |
| 1976 |
3.8 |
| 1975 |
3.5 |
| 1974 |
3.3 |
| 1973 |
9.2 |
| 1972 |
3.1 |
| 1971 |
2.9 |
| 1970 |
2.7 |
| 1969 |
2.6 |
| 1968 |
2.4 |
| 1967 |
2.3 |
| 1966 |
2.2 |
| 1965 |
2.0 |
| 1964 |
1.9 |
Sources: The Nielsen Company (1992-2011), "Drug Topics"/Nielsen North America (1988-1991), "Drug Topics" (1982-84), and "Product Marketing" (1964-1981).
NOTE: The 1995 sales figure represents a change in the way Nielsen defined an OTC drug and thus shows a greater increase than for other years. The number is more representative of the true OTC drug market as defined by the Food and Drug Administration. The statistic does not include vitamins/minerals/nutritional supplements.
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* Due to changes in data collection methods, actual increase may have been less than indicated.
** CHPA compilation of data using only OTC product categories represented by the industry - e.g., not all categories of oral health care and topicals, no vitamins and nutritional supplements.
*** Only available data was provided by Kline & Co. for 1988 FDA/CHPA symposium. It showed $13.3 billion but included vitamins and nutritional supplements.
****Excludes Wal-Mart.