Persons with dispensed medicines; age and sex

Persons with dispensed medicines; age and sex

Sex Ages Medicine group (ATC) Periods Persons with dispensed medicines (number) Persons with medicines, relative (%)
Total male and female Total age Total 2022* 11,617,275 63.99
Total male and female Total age A Alimentary tract and metabolism 2022* 4,516,000 24.87
Total male and female Total age A01 Stomatological preparations 2022* 112,735 0.62
Total male and female Total age A01A Stomatological preparations 2022* 112,735 0.62
Total male and female Total age A02 Drugs for acid related disorders 2022* 2,265,255 12.48
Total male and female Total age A02A Antacids 2022* 115 0.00
Total male and female Total age A02B Drugs for peptic ulcer and gord 2022* 2,265,210 12.48
Total male and female Total age A02X Oth. drugs for acid related disord. 2022* 0 0.00
Total male and female Total age A03 Drugs for funct.gastrointest.disord. 2022* 378,045 2.08
Total male and female Total age A03A Drugs for functional bowel disord. 2022* 91,385 0.50
Total male and female Total age A03B Belladonna and derivatives, plain 2022* 4,455 0.02
Total male and female Total age A03C Antispasmodics with psycholeptics 2022* 0 0.00
Total male and female Total age A03D Antispasmodics with analgesics 2022* 0 0.00
Total male and female Total age A03E Antispasmodics and anticholinergics 2022* 0 0.00
Total male and female Total age A03F Propulsives 2022* 292,110 1.61
Total male and female Total age A04 Antiemetics and antinauseants 2022* 133,665 0.74
Total male and female Total age A04A Antiemetics and antinauseants 2022* 133,665 0.74
Total male and female Total age A05 Bile and liver therapy 2022* 17,350 0.10
Total male and female Total age A05A Bile therapy 2022* 17,350 0.10
Total male and female Total age A05B Liver therapy, lipotropics 2022* 0 0.00
Total male and female Total age A05C Bile therapy drugs and lipotropics 2022* 0 0.00
Total male and female Total age A06 Laxatives 2022* 1,559,205 8.59
Total male and female Total age A06A Laxatives 2022* 1,559,205 8.59
Total male and female Total age A07 Anti diarr/intest/infl/infect.agents 2022* 174,310 0.96
Total male and female Total age A07A Intestinal antiinfectives 2022* 64,995 0.36
Total male and female Total age A07B Intestinal adsorbents 2022* 35 0.00
Total male and female Total age A07C Electrolytes with carbohydrates 2022* 5 0.00
Total male and female Total age A07D Antipropulsives 2022* 22,495 0.12
Total male and female Total age A07E Intestinal antiinflammatory agents 2022* 89,730 0.49
Total male and female Total age A07F Antidiarrheal microorganisms 2022* 0 0.00
Total male and female Total age A07X Other antidiarrheals 2022* 0 0.00
Total male and female Total age A08 Antiobesity prep. excl.diet products 2022* 520 0.00
Total male and female Total age A08A Antiobesity prep.excl.diet products 2022* 520 0.00
Total male and female Total age A09 Digestives, incl. enzymes 2022* 20,965 0.12
Total male and female Total age A09A Digestives, incl. enzymes 2022* 20,965 0.12
Total male and female Total age A10 Drugs used in diabetes 2022* 881,340 4.85
Total male and female Total age A10A Insulins and analogues 2022* 278,920 1.54
Total male and female Total age A10B Blood glucose lowering drugs, excl. 2022* 777,050 4.28
Total male and female Total age A10X Other drugs used in diabetes 2022* 0 0.00
Total male and female Total age A11 Vitamins 2022* 1,009,040 5.56
Total male and female Total age A11A Multivitamins, combinations 2022* 0 0.00
Total male and female Total age A11B Multivitamins, plain 2022* 0 0.00
Total male and female Total age A11C Vit A and D, incl.combin.of the two 2022* 1,008,005 5.55
Total male and female Total age A11D Vitamin B1,and with vit. B6 and B12 2022* 1,405 0.01
Total male and female Total age A11E Vitamin B-complex, incl. combinat. 2022* 0 0.00
Total male and female Total age A11G Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) + combin. 2022* 60 0.00
Total male and female Total age A11H Other plain vitamin preparations 2022* 30 0.00
Total male and female Total age A11J Other vitamin products + combinat. 2022* 0 0.00
Total male and female Total age A12 Mineral supplements 2022* 605,565 3.34
Total male and female Total age A12A Calcium 2022* 577,870 3.18
Total male and female Total age A12B Potassium 2022* 28,195 0.16
Total male and female Total age A12C Other mineral supplements 2022* 8,800 0.05
Total male and female Total age A13 Tonics 2022* 0 0.00
Total male and female Total age A13A Tonics 2022* 0 0.00
Total male and female Total age A14 Anabolic agents for systemic use 2022* 395 0.00
Total male and female Total age A14A Anabolic steroids 2022* 395 0.00
Total male and female Total age A14B Other anabolic agents 2022* 0 0.00
Total male and female Total age A15 Appetite stimulants 2022* 0 0.00
Total male and female Total age A16 Other aliment.tract/metabol.products 2022* 2,895 0.02
Total male and female Total age A16A Oth.aliment.tract and metabol.prod. 2022* 2,895 0.02
Total male and female Total age B Blood and blood forming organs 2022* 2,399,755 13.22
Total male and female Total age B01 Antithrombotic agents 2022* 1,932,650 10.64
Total male and female Total age B01A Antithrombotic agents 2022* 1,932,650 10.64
Total male and female Total age B02 Antihemorrhagics 2022* 53,620 0.30
Total male and female Total age B02A Antifibrinolytics 2022* 39,660 0.22
Total male and female Total age B02B Vitamin k and other hemostatics 2022* 14,365 0.08
Total male and female Total age B03 Antianemic preparations 2022* 607,405 3.35
Total male and female Total age B03A Iron preparations 2022* 330,415 1.82
Total male and female Total age B03B Vitamin B12 and folic acid 2022* 307,730 1.69
Total male and female Total age B03X Other antianemic preparations 2022* 75 0.00
Total male and female Total age B05 Blood substitutes / perfus.solutions 2022* 47,840 0.26
Total male and female Total age B05A Blood and related products 2022* 10 0.00
Total male and female Total age B05B Intravenous solutions 2022* 45,780 0.25
Total male and female Total age B05C Irrigating solutions 2022* 45 0.00
Total male and female Total age B05D Peritoneal dialytics 2022* 0 0.00
Total male and female Total age B05X Intravenous solution additives 2022* 2,560 0.01
Total male and female Total age B05Z Hemodialytics and hemofiltrates 2022* 0 0.00
Total male and female Total age B06 Other hematological agents 2022* 255 0.00
Total male and female Total age B06A Other hematological agents 2022* 225 0.00
Total male and female Total age C Cardiovascular system 2022* 3,858,505 21.25
Total male and female Total age C01 Cardiac therapy 2022* 459,635 2.53
Total male and female Total age C01A Cardiac glycosides 2022* 82,290 0.45
Total male and female Total age C01B Antiarrhythmics, class I and III 2022* 70,815 0.39
Total male and female Total age C01C Cardiac stimulants excl. glycosides 2022* 66,230 0.36
Total male and female Total age C01D Vasodilators used in card. diseases 2022* 254,510 1.40
Total male and female Total age C01E Other cardiac preparations 2022* 12,895 0.07
Total male and female Total age C02 Antihypertensives 2022* 58,675 0.32
Total male and female Total age C02A Antiadren.agents, centrally acting 2022* 13,450 0.07
Total male and female Total age C02B Antiadren.agents, ganglion-blocking 2022* 0 0.00
Total male and female Total age C02C Antiadren.agents, peripher. acting 2022* 43,795 0.24
Total male and female Total age C02D Arteriolar smooth muscle agents 2022* 440 0.00
Total male and female Total age C02K Other antihypertensives 2022* 1,645 0.01
Total male and female Total age C02L Antihypertensives/diuretics combin. 2022* 0 0.00
Total male and female Total age C02N Combinations of antihypertensives.. 2022* 0 0.00
Total male and female Total age C03 Diuretics 2022* 1,052,625 5.80
Total male and female Total age C03A Low-ceiling diuretics, thiazides 2022* 576,395 3.17
Total male and female Total age C03B Low-ceiling diuret.,excl. thiazides 2022* 63,525 0.35
Total male and female Total age C03C High-ceiling diuretics 2022* 355,110 1.96
Total male and female Total age C03D Potassium-sparing agents 2022* 209,160 1.15
Total male and female Total age C03E Diuretics/potassium-sparing agents 2022* 13,275 0.07
Source: CBS.
Explanation of symbols

Dataset is not available.


This table contains figures on the absolute number of persons to whom in the year concerned medicines were dispensed for which the costs are reimbursed under the statutory basic medical insurance. Also, the number of dispensed defined daily doses (DDDs) are presented. The figures are also expressed as a percentage of the total population in the category concerned. The population includes everybody registered in the Personal Records Database (BRP) and living in the Netherlands at some point in the year concerned. Until 2010 the figures also included medicines dispensed to persons registered in the BRP, but no longer resident in the Netherlands.
Medicines provided to persons in hospitals and nursing homes are not included; medicines provided in residential homes for the elderly are included.

Data are broken down by medicine group, age and sex.

Data available from: 2006

Status of the figures:
Figures for 2022 are provisional.

Changes as of December 20, 2023:
- Provisional figures for 2022 have been added, provisional figures of 2020 and 2021 have been made definite.
- Textual change: the description of drug group Y (Not filled in) has been replaced by Z (Not applicable). However, the underlying resources have remained the same. This category is assigned to products that do not have an ATC code according to the WHO ATC classification system.

When will new figures be published?
New figures will be published in the last quarter of 2024.

Description topics

Persons with dispensed medicines
Number of persons registered in the Basic Registration of Persons (BRP) in the year concerned to whom medicines are dispensed in that year that are reimbursed under the statutory basic medical insurance.
Persons with medicines, relative
Number of persons to whom medicines are dispensed in the year concerned that are reimbursed under the statutory basic medical insurance, expressed as a percentage of the total population of the category concerned registered in the Basic Registration of Persons (BRP) in that year.