Prices for prescription dermatologic drugs increase greatly from 2009-2015

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-11/tjnj-cir112315.php

Public Release: 25-Nov-2015
Changes in retail prices for prescription dermatologic drugs from 2009-2015
The JAMA Network Journals
Prices among 19 brand-name prescription dermatologic drugs increased rapidly between 2009 and 2015, with prices for topical antineoplastic drugs to prevent the spread of cancer cells increasing an average of 1,240 percent, according to an article published online by JAMA Dermatology.

Landmark health reform in the United States has done little to curb the rising price of prescription drugs. Patients across the United States have little protection from health plans excluding coverage for expensive prescription drugs.

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The authors found that between 2009 and 2015:

Prices of all surveyed classes of brand-name drugs increased; the average increase was 401 percent.

Prices of topical antineoplastic drugs had the greatest average absolute and percentage increase of nearly $10,927 and 1,240 percent.

Prices of drugs in the antiinfective class had the smallest average absolute increase of almost $334.

Prices of psoriasis medications had the smallest average percentage increase of 180 percent.

The retail prices of seven drugs more than quadrupled during the study period, with the vast majority of price increases occurring after 2011.

"Percent increases for multiple, frequently prescribed medications greatly outpaced inflation, national health expenditure growth, and increases in reimbursement for physician services," the study concludes.

tags: price gouging