AND it’s on track to worsen.

A recent RAND Corporation study found that U.S. drug prices were 2.56 times higher than those in 32 comparable countries, with brand-name drug prices averaging 3.44 times higher. What's more, researchers note that across all of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) nations studied, total drug spending was $795 billion, with the U.S. accounting for more than half of the sales or 58%, but just 24% of the volume.3

“Branded medications are typically the most common for patients to stop taking,” explained Deepti Pidakala, PharmD, a pharmacist with Marley Drug, a full-service pharmacy that offers home delivery nationwide.

“They are expensive, require prior authorizations from insurance, and often are not covered at all,” she said. “This waiting period back and forth with insurance, along with the financial strain, causes many patients to stop taking their medications altogether.”

A Kaiser Family Foundation Health Tracking Poll found that eight in 10 adults said the cost of prescribed medications in the U.S. was unreasonable.4 Affordability is particularly an issue for those taking four or more prescription medicines. Researchers found that three in 10 of those taking four or more drugs have trouble affording their prescriptions, compared to one in five adults who currently take three or fewer prescription medications.

Affordability issues are likely to continue to worsen, especially since prescription drug prices have been on an upward trajectory. Drug spending in the U.S. increased by 76% between 2000 and 2017.3 These costs are expected to rise faster over the next decade than other areas of healthcare spending.