Few prescriptions can be called cheap, but some drug expenses are stratospheric. Here are the nation’s most expensive drugs.
Here’s a fact that’s hard to swallow: U.S. prescription drug prices are more than twice as expensive as those in other developed countries, according to 2021 data from the Rand Corporation. If you think that’s a stunning statistic, consider that the study found Americans are paying 779% more in some instances, with the cost of brand name drugs being 344% higher in the United States.
With over 131 million of us using prescription drugs – and most of those prescribed to manage chronic conditions – it’s more important than ever to save money on personal medical expenses. This guide will list which drugs people are paying the most for and highlight how RxSpark can provide a way toward more budget-friendly prescriptions.
Why Americans pay so much for medicine
A 2021 article in U.S. News did an excellent job of breaking down how the American health care system is set up to ultimately cost patients excessively at the pharmacy. It spotlights the power of Pharmacy Benefit Managers and covers other key price setters, such as how patient co-pays are often directly tied to the drug manufacturer’s original – and typically high – launch price.
Then there are the common hurdles Americans face when they have little to no health insurance, no access to Medicaid or Medicare, or when they’re suffering from conditions that require gene therapy or specialized drugs. The latter requires advanced manufacturing processes, and their costs fall to the patient.
The high prices of brand name drugs are also not attributable to general inflation – a fact highlighted in an AARP report that studied prescription price increases for older Americans. It singled out Soliris and other drugs (more on them below).
2022 wasted no time adding to the burden many patients face on prescription drugs.January 1 saw drug companies hiking their prices by around 5% on 450 products. The increase in drug costs will be felt in one way or another by insured and uninsured alike. This is a significant added cost, especially when it impacts those already dependent on higher-priced medications.
America’s 10 most expensive prescriptions
- Actimmune - Horizon Therapeutics medication Actimmune is used to treat severe, malignant osteopetrosis (SMO), a genetic disease that affects bone formation. This medication has an annual list price of over $575,000.
- Blincyto– The cost of this cancer drug is cumulative since it must be administered in four cycles. Vials cost have a price tag of around $4,700 each. A patient requiring 10 doses of Blincyto a month would have to pay roughly $564,000 a year.
- Brineura– This pediatric treatment for one type of Batten disease comes in double doses, meaning Brineura costs $30,362 per kit. The drugmaker recommends that four vials be taken every month, which pushes the cost to $728,688 a year.
- Danyelza– This treatment for relapsed/refractory high-risk neuroblastoma in the bone or bone marrow has only been on the market since November 2020, but this Y-mAbs Therapeutics treatment quickly secured a place on the most expensive list. A single dose of Danyelza can cost around $22,018. Two doses a month (with more sometimes necessary) would make a year’s prescription cost roughly $528,432.
- Folotyn– This cancer treatment from Acrotech BioPharma is administered cyclically, with a single vial of Folotyn costing around $6,525 per dose . This can equate to annual cost of more than $800,000.
- Luxturna– Luxturna’s status as a gene therapy immediately places it among the highest-priced drugs, at around $425,000 per vial. Patients will likely require two vials to treat the genetic disease retinal dystrophy at a final cost of $850,000.
- Myalept– At around $5,788 for a single dose, Myalept (a leptin analog) is the only medication approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat generalized lipodystrophy. Patients should use it once a day, at a cost of almost $890,000 a year. On the positive side, patients may be eligible for financial support from the manufacturer and could even get the drug for free.
- Ravicti– An orphan drug (used to treat rare diseases) used to treat genetic urea cycle disorders, Ravicti costs around $5,514. Like some other drugs on this list, there’s no generic substitute for Ravicti on the market.
- Soliris– It costs around $6,820 for a dose of the Alexion Pharmaceuticals drug Soliris , which is an inhibitor used in the treatment of multiple medical conditions, particularly blood disorders.
- Zokinvy– Since gaining FDA approval in 2020, Eiger BioPharmaceuticals’ drug Zokinvy is the only treatment prescribed for the rare premature aging disease Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome. It is approved for use in children one year of age and older, but prescriptions can cost around $23,364 for 30 capsules. Depending on intake, this drug may end up costing some patients over $1 million a year.
- Zolgensma– This gene therapy treatment for spinal muscular atrophy is a one-time prescription, but it’s no less financially draining for that. Patients can expect to pay $2.1 million for a single dose of this drug manufactured by Novartis.
Many of these pharmaceutical companies offer patients ways to reduce the price of treatment based on income, medical outcomes, and other measures. Even if you qualify for discounts, rebates and patient assistance programs, the expense can still be staggering. Any other avenue you can find to lower the costs of prescription drugs can go a long way financially.
Why RxSpark should be your new prescription partner
We’re dedicated to helping Americans enjoy the lowest possible prescription prices. Millions of people are already saving an average of $500 a year! Just type your desired medication into the search bar on our front page, and we’ll tell you where to find the cheapest options at pharmacies near you.
Our users get Reward Points by signing up, filling prescriptions through us, and referring others who use our service – and you can redeem the points for gifts at many outlets and brands. Our user-friendly interface lets you learn more about your health and manage all aspects of your prescription history.
You can save up to 80% on your prescription medications, and we’ll even send prescription reminders so you don’t forget another dose. Open a free account today to learn more about how RxSpark makes better health less burdensome.