A third of Americans are already leaving prescriptions unfilled.
Marsh 6-26-2024. [Tori, MPH, Director of Research, GoodRX; “A Third of Americans Aren’t Filling Their Prescriptions Because of High Costs,” GoodRX, https://www.goodrx.com/healthcare-access/research/third-of-americans-dont-fill-prescriptions-due-to-cost //cpsw-ay]
According to our survey, 32% of Americans (51 million if extrapolated to the general population) had a prescription sent to the pharmacy that was ultimately not filled. The most common reason for not filling the medication was cost, followed by forgetting to pick the medication up, the medication being out of stock, and the inability to get to the pharmacy in time.
This finding is alarming given that nonadherence, or not taking a medication as prescribed, can worsen chronic conditions. The high cost of medications can force people to make difficult choices between prioritizing their health and managing other essential expenses. In turn, this can potentially lead to poor health outcomes and increased costs in the long run.