Comparative wholesale statistics from the five Nordic countries show an increase of 15-42% in the total consumption of analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs (including antirheumatics) in the period 1978-1988. Denmark had the highest total consumption (112 DDD/1000 inhab/day in 1988) and Norway had the lowest (61 DDD/1000 inhab/day). Iceland and Finland, with the highest increases in total consumption (45% and 35%), overtook Norway in the early to mid 1980's. Division of total consumption into subgroups showed that Denmark had the highest consumption of analgesics (90 DDDs) and that Finland and Iceland had the lowest figure. The latter countries, however, had the highest consumption of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID), 35 and 30 DDDs, respectively, in 1988. The increase in NSAID consumption was 57% in Finland and 54% in Iceland, while Denmark had only an 18% increase. The new NSAIDs introduced in the 1970's appear to have increased the overall consumption of pain relievers in the Nordic countries, especially in Finland and Iceland.