As of December 2024, the CPI for prescription drugs was at ***** compared to the period from 1982 to 1984 (=100). This statistic shows the consumer price index for prescription and nonprescription drugs in the United States from 1960 to 2024.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services estimate that prescription drug expenditure in the United States will reach around 460 billion U.S. dollars in 2024. This amount includes only retail drug spending, excluding nonretail. Estimations of drug spending can vary by investigating organization. For the U.S., among the most relevant drug spending calculations are provided by CMS, ASPE (Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation), and pharmaceutical market researcher IQVIA. High drug prices in the U.S.The United States is the country with the highest total drug spending, and also with the highest per capita pharmaceuticals spending among developed countries. This is mostly connected to higher drug prices in the United States. For example, the price for the blockbuster drug Humira was almost three times higher in the United States than in Germany in 2017. But whereas in other countries, governments more or less directly control drug prices, the U.S. leaves drug pricing to market competition. As a consequence, the U.S. market is the most profitable for pharmaceutical companies. Where the money is spentNearly half of all Americans have taken at least one prescription medicine within the preceding month. The therapeutic areas where spending is the highest are ‘traditionally’ to be found among antidiabetics, oncologics, autoimmune, and respiratory diseases. Based on number of prescriptions filled, antihypertensives, pain reliever, and mental health drugs are the leading classes.

Graph and download economic data for Producer Price Index by Industry: Pharmacies and Drug Retailers: Retailing of Prescription Drugs (PCU4461104461101) from Jun 2000 to May 2025 about prescription drugs, medicines, retail, PPI, industry, inflation, price index, indexes, price, and USA.

The number of prescriptions dispensed in the U.S. has increased between 2009 and 2022. In 2009 the number of prescriptions dispensed was near 3.95 billion, while in 2022 the number of prescriptions dispensed was around 6.7 billion. The increase in the number of prescriptions dispensed has a multifactorial origin that includes health care sources, health insurance, and prescription drug benefits. However, the increase in prescription drug usage comes with a price tag as the price of drugs in the U.S. is also on the rise.

Medication usage

The total number of retail prescriptions filed annually in the United States is expected to also rise significantly by the year 2025. Medication usage varies depending on the population, for example, some data shows that prescription usage increases with age. Likewise, gender has an influence on prescription drug use. Females have a higher rate of prescription drug usage.

Prescription drug costs

The U.S. has some of the highest per capita drug spending in the world. That is largely because the prices of drugs in the U.S. are based solely on what the market can bear, rather than what the actual costs of production are. Personal health care expenditures in the U.S. have more than doubled since 2000. Estimates suggest that the cost of drugs will continue to increase. Estimated U.S. prescribed drug expenditures amounted to 378 billion U.S. dollars by the end of 2021.

United States - Producer Price Index by Industry: Pharmacies and Drug Stores: Retailing of Prescription Drugs was 166.22400 Index Jun 2000=100 in May of 2025, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Producer Price Index by Industry: Pharmacies and Drug Stores: Retailing of Prescription Drugs reached a record high of 229.60000 in May of 2014 and a record low of 91.70000 in January of 2001. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Producer Price Index by Industry: Pharmacies and Drug Stores: Retailing of Prescription Drugs - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on July of 2025.

The Quarterly Prescription Drug Plan Formulary, Pharmacy Network, and Pricing Information files contain formulary, pharmacy network, and pricing data for Medicare Prescription Drug Plans and Medicare Advantage (MA) Prescription Drug Plans (with the exception of employer and Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly plans). Notice: CMS has identified an issue that resulted in a 15% coinsurance for plans with Defined Standard benefits to be listed rather than a 25% coinsurance in the Beneficiary Cost File under certain scenarios. This issue affected the 2023 Q4 to 2024 Q3 data. CMS will re-post the corrected data in batches between now and May 2025. These non-identifiable files are available on a quarterly basis and are comprised of the following tables: Plan Information - Information such as plan name, contract ID, plan ID, service area, and plan type. Geographic Locator - MA and Prescription Drug Plans region codes and county codes. Basic Drugs Formulary - Formulary details for each plan including National Drug Codes (NDCs), cost share tier level, and indicators for step therapy, quantity limits, and prior authorization. Excluded Drugs Formulary - Enhanced alternative plans may elect to provide a supplemental benefit and cover excluded drugs. File includes formulary details for excluded drugs that are covered by the plan (for enhanced alternative plans only). Beneficiary Cost - Plan level cost sharing details for preferred, non-preferred, and mail order network pharmacies. Pharmacy Network - National Provider Identifier (NPI) numbers for each network pharmacy including preferred, retail, and mail order indicators. Pricing - Plan level average monthly costs for formulary Part D drugs (note: this table is only available in the quarterly files). Indication Based Coverage Formulary File - Includes drugs covered based on FDA-approved indication for each plan. Insulin Beneficiary Cost File - Plan level cost sharing details for insulin at preferred, non-preferred and mail order network pharmacies. These are large files and can take time to download. Please read the “Agreement for Use” in the Resources section below. This document contains important information regarding timeframes for obtaining data as well as data accuracy and integrity. The Monthly Prescription Drug Plan Formulary and Pharmacy Network Information is also available to access for the monthly level information. Please note: The Part D benefit year information for plans become available in October of the year prior. For example, year 2024 data is available in the fourth quarter file of 2023. Year 2024 data continues to be available in the Q1-Q3 2024 files, then in the fourth quarter of 2024 year 2025 data becomes available. Estimated release dates for upcoming 2025 quarterly data (files reflect data for the quarter that ended the month before the file was released): 4/23/25 7/30/25 Files older than contract year 2019 can be purchased.

Graph and download economic data for Pharmaceutical Products (Without Prescription Drugs) Expenditures Price Index (PHPRDRPIHCSA) from 2000 to 2021 about nonprescription drugs, medicines, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, health, expenditures, price index, indexes, price, and USA.

Pharmaceutical spending per capita in Canada stood at 1,035 U.S. dollars in 2023 (current prices). In comparison, the United States reported per capita spending of 1,564 U.S. dollars (in 2022). As for medical goods and services in general, the U.S. is among the countries with highest health costs worldwide. The higher costs in the United States are particularly obvious when compared to other high-income, developed countries. Higher drug prices in the U.S.Higher spending on pharmaceuticals is less impacted by higher drug usage by Americans and more by significantly higher drug prices in the United States. While in other countries, drug prices are regulated more or less by governments, the U.S. leaves drug pricing to market competition. As an outcome, the U.S. market is the most profitable for pharmaceutical companies. For example, the price for blockbuster drug Humira was six times higher in the United States than in Germany (2022). Rx drug usage in the U.S.Almost half of all Americans have taken at least one prescription medicine within the preceding month. Generally, women take more prescribed drugs than men, although the difference decreased significantly over the past two decades. In the United States, among the therapeutic areas where spending is the highest are antidiabetics, oncologics, autoimmune, and respiratory diseases. On the other hand, antihypertensives and mental health drugs are the leading classes based on number of prescriptions filled.

In 2025, the average monthly premium for Medicare Part D stand-alone plans increased slightly to 45 U.S. dollars from 42 U.S. dollars in 2024. Medicare beneficiaries can enroll in a plan that provides Part D (drug coverage) as a supplement to traditional Medicare, called stand-alone plans, or they enroll in a Medicare Advantage prescription drug plan (MA-PD). Most Medicare Advantage (also called Medicare Part C) plans already include drug coverage. This statistic depicts the average monthly cost for Medicare stand-alone prescription drug plans in the U.S. from 2006 to 2025.

The graph illustrates the most expensive drugs in the United States for the year 2024. The x-axis lists the drug names, including Lenmeldy***, Hemgenix*, Elevidys*, Skysona*, Zynteglo*, Zolgensma*, Myalept**, Danyelza**, Zokinvy**, and Kimmtrak**, while the y-axis represents the cost of each drug in U.S. dollars. Among these, Lenmeldy*** stands as the most costly medication at $4,250,000, followed by Hemgenix* at $3,500,000 and Elevidys* at $3,200,000. The prices gradually decrease with Skysona* priced at $3,000,000, Zynteglo* at $2,800,000, and Zolgensma* at $2,100,000. The remaining drugs—Myalept** ($1,300,000), Danyelza** and Zokinvy** (each at $1,200,000), and Kimmtrak** ($1,100,000)—are comparatively less expensive but still among the highest-priced medications available. The data reveals a significant disparity in drug costs, with the top-priced drug being nearly four times more expensive than the least expensive one listed. This steep decline from the highest to the lowest cost highlights the wide range of prices within the most expensive pharmaceuticals in the U.S. for 2024. The information is effectively represented in a bar graph format, which clearly showcases the differences in drug prices and emphasizes the concentration of costs among the top-tier medications.

Graph and download economic data for Producer Price Index by Commodity: Special Indexes: Pharmaceuticals for Human Use, Prescription (WPUSI07003) from Jun 2001 to May 2025 about pharmaceuticals, commodities, PPI, inflation, price index, indexes, price, and USA.

This table provides statistics on the Cost of Prescriptions by Broad Drug Category for Non-Group Supplementary Plans. Non-Group supplementary health plans provide coverage for prescribed drugs and selected health services. Supplementary health plans are funded by Alberta Health and administered by Alberta Blue Cross. This table is an Excel version of a table in the "Alberta Health Care Insurance Statistical Supplement" report published annually by Alberta Health.

This statistic displays the patented drug average price ratio of foreign to Canada, as of 2023. The ratio of prices in the United States to Canada was 3.64, which indicates that the prices of patented drugs in the United States were more than three and a half times higher than in Canada.

IntroductionWhile many countries have successfully promoted generic drug use, South Korea faces challenges with low utilization and high expenditure shares, despite various policy reforms. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of generic drug policies in South Korea, by comparing the prices, competition, and usage trends of generic drugs between South Korea and the Group of Twenty (G20) countries.MethodsWe analyzed 26 off-patent active ingredients marketed in South Korea and G20 countries from 2014 to 2023. Generic drug prices were calculated by dividing total sales by total volume in 2023, with the average price for each country subsequently determined. Generic competition was measured by the number of generic drugs available in each country. The usage trends of generic drugs were assessed using the sales and volume ratios of off-patent original drugs to generic drugs in 2023.ResultsSouth Korea had more generic drugs for 19 of the 26 analyzed ingredients (73.1%) compared to other G20 countries. However, for recently off-patent ingredients, the number of generic drugs was smaller in South Korea. The generic prices for 18 ingredients (69.2%) were lower in South Korea than in the G20 and Advanced Eight (A8) countries. Similar to the generic competition, generics with larger market sizes had higher prices in South Korea. Conversely, the prices of recently off-patent ingredients were higher in South Korea compared to the G20 countries. For 24 ingredients (92.3%), the sales and volume ratios of generic drugs in South Korea were considerably lower compared to the G20 countries.ConclusionThis study confirms that the pharmaceutical policies and regulatory frameworks for generic drug are fragmented and inefficient in South Korea. Consequently, these fragmented and inefficient policies disrupt the virtuous cycle mechanism of generic price and usage driven by effective competition. To address these challenges and promote the use of generic drugs, the findings of this study suggest the need to develop and implement policies in South Korea that focus on optimizing the pharmaceutical expenditure structure, enhancing post-listing price management system for generic drugs, supporting the accelerated development of generic drugs, and promoting the prescription and use of generic drugs.

This table provides data on the median and mean cost per item prescribed by GPs in Wales and dispensed, 2013-14 onwards. The mean net ingredient cost is calculated by taking the total net ingredient cost for all prescription items and dividing by the total number of items prescribed during the whole financial year. The median net ingredient cost is calculated by taking the middle amount when all costs per item are ranked in order from cheapest to most expensive; half of all costs are less than or equal to this amount, and the other half are more than or equal to this amount. This calculation is done on items dispensed in March of each year only, for practical calculation purposes given the large number of items dispensed in a year.

BackgroundWith the aging of population, the proportion of elderly patients with diabetes is gradually increasing, which poses challenges in the management and treatment of diabetes in this population.MethodsThe aim of the study was to investigate the temporal changes in the treatment regimens and medical expenditures in older patients with diabetes in Beijing, China. Data of patients with diabetes from the Beijing Medical Insurance Database with medical records from 2016 to 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. Primary and secondary outcomes included the number of medications, comorbidities, diabetes-related complications, the estimated annual drug cost, the treatment strategies for elderly diabetic patients, and the classes of drugs prescribed.ResultsData of 598,440 patients with diabetes in 2018 revealed that 49.8% of the recruited patients were female among elderly patients (>65 years old). The most common comorbidity was hypertension (87.6%). Over the 3 years, about 4.51 medications, including 1.88 antiglycemic drugs and 2.63 non-antiglycemic drugs were prescribed in elderly patients. The mean total annual medication cost was ¥12,186 ($1,676), including ¥6,116 ($841) for antiglycemic drugs and ¥6,070 ($835) for non-antiglycemic drugs. Hypertension (cost ¥4,658, $640, mean medications 2.12 for elderly patients), dyslipidemia (¥5,044, $693, 1.70), and coronary heart disease (¥4,004, $550, 1.40) were the top three diseases that caused the increase in the cost and medications. Over the 3 years, more than 94% of elderly diabetic patients received at least one type of antiglycemic drugs, and the α-glucosidase inhibitors and premixed insulin are the most commonly prescribed hypoglycemic drugs and insulin, respectively.ConclusionDiabetes management in older patients faces challenges due to extensive variability. Medication analysis in this study found that the current situation of comprehensive control of diabetes in elderly patients is worrying, and the complexity of their medication is still on the increasing trend. It is important to select more appropriate antiglycemic drugs to economically benefit the patients and to control the progression of complications.

The United States healthcare discount plan market size reached USD 2.10 Billion in 2024. Looking forward, IMARC Group expects the market to reach USD 5.00 Billion by 2033, exhibiting a growth rate (CAGR) of 9.20% during 2025-2033. The market is experiencing significant growth mainly due to the rising healthcare costs and the growing consumer demand for affordable medical services. These plans offer discounts on a range of health services, including dental, vision, and prescription drugs, providing a cost-effective alternative for underinsured individuals and families.

IMARC Group provides an analysis of the key trends in each segment of the market, along with forecasts at the region level for 2025-2033. Our report has categorized the market based on service.

This table provides statistics on the Cost of Prescriptions by Broad Drug Category for Non-Group Supplementary Plans. Non-Group supplementary health plans provide coverage for prescribed drugs and selected health services. Supplementary health plans are funded by Alberta Health and administered by Alberta Blue Cross. This table is an Excel version of a table in the "Alberta Health Care Insurance Statistical Supplement" report published annually by Alberta Health.

Bioline Rx reported $34K in Cost of Sales for its fiscal quarter ending in March of 2025. Data for Bioline Rx | BLRX - Cost Of Sales including historical, tables and charts were last updated by Trading Economics this last July in 2025.

This bulletin presents a summary of prescription items dispensed in the community by community pharmacists, appliance contractors and dispensing doctors in England. The bulletin highlights recent changes and the main trends between 2006 and 2016. The specific source for these statistics is the Prescription Cost Analysis (PCA) data. NHS Digital publishes the Prescription Cost Analysis National Statistic, based on PCA figures for the most recent calendar year, in March. Measures used in this report Net Ingredient Cost (NIC) is the basic cost of a drug. It does not take account of discounts, dispensing costs, fees or prescription charges income, so the amount the NHS spent will be slightly different. Items are prescriptions written on a prescription form known as a FP10. Each single item written on the form is counted as a prescription item. Note: Table 12 of the appendix tables was removed at 2pm on the day of publication due to the 2016 figures being incorrect. The information in table 12 of the appendix tables is also presented in the trend tables and these are correct for all years, so users are advised to use these figures. We apologise for any inconvenience.