Higher peaks in hay fever medication turnover in 2018

19/06/2018 15:00

In 2018, people suffering from hay fever bought their pollen allergy medication relatively late in the year. On the other hand, pharmacy sales of hay fever medication showed higher peaks in April and May than in the same period last year. The allergenic pollen concentration in the air was higher in these two months than one year previously. This is demonstrated by new, experimental figures from Statistics Netherlands (CBS) which are based on the weekly pharmacy turnover of hay fever medication.

This concerns over-the-counter medication in the form of tablets, nasal sprays or eye drops. Peaks in turnover are usually preceded by peaks in pollen counts in the air. This year, the allergenic pollen count reached its first peak in mid-April; a few weeks later than in 2017, but the measured concentrations were higher.
Likewise, sales of hay fever medication started to increase a few weeks later than in 2017 while the peak in turnover was also higher. The second turnover peak in 2018 followed the first one more shortly afterwards and was also higher than last year’s.

Highest peak during air presence of grass pollen

Every year, early spring - around the beginning of April – marks an increase in the sales of over-the-counter hay fever medication. This is also the period when pollen released by certain tree varieties such as birches trigger allergic reactions. Later on in the season at the end of May/beginning of June, when grass pollen are present in the air, the highest peak in sales is seen each year. This is likely due to the fact that many hay fever sufferers are affected by grass pollen. The time when the pollen concentration is highest is partly dependent on weather conditions.

Turnover in hay fever medication and pollen concentrations in the air
		Turnover index medication (2016=100)	Most allergenic pollen per m³ of air
2016	1	26.5	24
2016	2	23.4	3
2016	3	22.4	13
2016	4	24.3	107
2016	5	27.5	1013
2016	6	32.9	269
2016	7	30	263
2016	8	35.2	179
2016	9	34.9	133
2016	10	65.9	276
2016	11	95.3	303
2016	12	73.4	199
2016	13	92.4	42
2016	14	134.7	1177
2016	15	228.4	3475
2016	16	179.9	363
2016	17	108.6	282
2016	18	326.3	711
2016	19	373.3	231
2016	20	182.9	204
2016	21	259.7	85
2016	22	510.4	506
2016	23	561.1	563
2016	24	159.9	39
2016	25	142.1	167
2016	26	113	0
2016	27	135.2	510
2016	28	119.1	195
2016	29	123	181
2016	30	88.4	16
2016	31	68.7	68
2016	32	62.1	98
2016	33	67.7	82
2016	34	65.1	105
2016	35	57.2	73
2016	36	54.5	102
2016	37	53.3	44
2016	38	51.8	48
2016	39	44.7	71
2016	40	41.7	9
2016	41	33.7	9
2016	42	29.7	3
2016	43	28.1	1
2016	44	25.4	0
2016	45	22.5	1
2016	46	21.4	1
2016	47	23.6	1
2016	48	22.4	0
2016	49	20.7	0
2016	50	22.5	0
2016	51	27.2	0
2016	52	26.6	6
2017	1	24.9	6
2017	2	22.5	21
2017	3	22.1	7
2017	4	24.9	10
2017	5	25.9	18
2017	6	23	3
2017	7	31.2	351
2017	8	40.4	880
2017	9	53.8	150
2017	10	65.3	47
2017	11	111.3	124
2017	12	110.7	9
2017	13	221.3	2623
2017	14	184.8	1017
2017	15	172.5	381
2017	16	120.8	143
2017	17	115.3	93
2017	18	126.7	64
2017	19	144.7	26
2017	20	171.5	171
2017	21	420.1
2017	22	505.9	290
2017	23	272.9	307
2017	24	297.9	139
2017	25	238	235
2017	26	126	122
2017	27	129.6	156
2017	28	103.7	81
2017	29	109.3	25
2017	30	83.3	64
2017	31	73.9	50
2017	32	62.6	63
2017	33	56.9	65
2017	34	64.6	62
2017	35	56	26
2017	36	44.3	7
2017	37	37.7	25
2017	38	37.7	31
2017	39	33.9	17
2017	40	30.5	20
2017	41	30.5	6
2017	42	30.1	1
2017	43	30.6	1
2017	44	30.2	1
2017	45	27.4	0
2017	46	24.9	0
2017	47	25.7	0
2017	48	25.5	0
2017	49	21.9	3
2017	50	25.1	0
2017	51	33.2	2
2017	52	32.6	48
2018	1	29.1	5
2018	2	27.2	70
2018	3	25.9	23
2018	4	31.8	143
2018	5	34.4	60
2018	6	31.2	143
2018	7	33.1	262
2018	8	38.3	217
2018	9	33.5	84
2018	10	58.9	1054
2018	11	83.3	237
2018	12	66.7	42
2018	13	78.5	8
2018	14	126.1	330
2018	15	263.2	3709
2018	16	540.1	4398
2018	17	257.8	380
2018	18	231	45
2018	19	293.7	88
2018	20	204.9	120
2018	21	607.4	661

Turnover in hay fever medication and pollen concentrations in the air
		Turnover index medication (2016=100)	Most allergenic pollen per m³ of air
2016	1	26.5	24
2016	2	23.4	3
2016	3	22.4	13
2016	4	24.3	107
2016	5	27.5	1013
2016	6	32.9	269
2016	7	30	263
2016	8	35.2	179
2016	9	34.9	133
2016	10	65.9	276
2016	11	95.3	303
2016	12	73.4	199
2016	13	92.4	42
2016	14	134.7	1177
2016	15	228.4	3475
2016	16	179.9	363
2016	17	108.6	282
2016	18	326.3	711
2016	19	373.3	231
2016	20	182.9	204
2016	21	259.7	85
2016	22	510.4	506
2016	23	561.1	563
2016	24	159.9	39
2016	25	142.1	167
2016	26	113	0
2016	27	135.2	510
2016	28	119.1	195
2016	29	123	181
2016	30	88.4	16
2016	31	68.7	68
2016	32	62.1	98
2016	33	67.7	82
2016	34	65.1	105
2016	35	57.2	73
2016	36	54.5	102
2016	37	53.3	44
2016	38	51.8	48
2016	39	44.7	71
2016	40	41.7	9
2016	41	33.7	9
2016	42	29.7	3
2016	43	28.1	1
2016	44	25.4	0
2016	45	22.5	1
2016	46	21.4	1
2016	47	23.6	1
2016	48	22.4	0
2016	49	20.7	0
2016	50	22.5	0
2016	51	27.2	0
2016	52	26.6	6
2017	1	24.9	6
2017	2	22.5	21
2017	3	22.1	7
2017	4	24.9	10
2017	5	25.9	18
2017	6	23	3
2017	7	31.2	351
2017	8	40.4	880
2017	9	53.8	150
2017	10	65.3	47
2017	11	111.3	124
2017	12	110.7	9
2017	13	221.3	2623
2017	14	184.8	1017
2017	15	172.5	381
2017	16	120.8	143
2017	17	115.3	93
2017	18	126.7	64
2017	19	144.7	26
2017	20	171.5	171
2017	21	420.1
2017	22	505.9	290
2017	23	272.9	307
2017	24	297.9	139
2017	25	238	235
2017	26	126	122
2017	27	129.6	156
2017	28	103.7	81
2017	29	109.3	25
2017	30	83.3	64
2017	31	73.9	50
2017	32	62.6	63
2017	33	56.9	65
2017	34	64.6	62
2017	35	56	26
2017	36	44.3	7
2017	37	37.7	25
2017	38	37.7	31
2017	39	33.9	17
2017	40	30.5	20
2017	41	30.5	6
2017	42	30.1	1
2017	43	30.6	1
2017	44	30.2	1
2017	45	27.4	0
2017	46	24.9	0
2017	47	25.7	0
2017	48	25.5	0
2017	49	21.9	3
2017	50	25.1	0
2017	51	33.2	2
2017	52	32.6	48
2018	1	29.1	5
2018	2	27.2	70
2018	3	25.9	23
2018	4	31.8	143
2018	5	34.4	60
2018	6	31.2	143
2018	7	33.1	262
2018	8	38.3	217
2018	9	33.5	84
2018	10	58.9	1054
2018	11	83.3	237
2018	12	66.7	42
2018	13	78.5	8
2018	14	126.1	330
2018	15	263.2	3709
2018	16	540.1	4398
2018	17	257.8	380
2018	18	231	45
2018	19	293.7	88
2018	20	204.9	120
2018	21	607.4	661

New turnover index of hay fever medication

Turnover index of hay fever medication is based on weekly sales figures obtained from Dutch pharmacies. This involves so-called self-medication products which are available without prescription at a pharmacy (drugstore). This type of medication is in the form of tablets, nasal sprays or eye drops which alleviate allergic reactions. These weekly data have been processed by the CBS Centre for Big Data Statistics (CBDS) into a weekly turnover index of hay fever medication. The turnover index is not designed to provide the total sales volume of hay fever medication in the Netherlands, but to give more insight into the development of weekly sales during the hay fever season and the purchasing moments of consumers. Read more about this innovative project on the innovation page.