HHS’ Office of the Assistance Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) issued a report comparing the costs of brand and generic drugs, and new prescription drugs in the United States versus other Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries.
In 2022, brand and generic drugs in the United States were three times higher than the prices charged in 33 other OECD countries, the report says. Generic drug prices were lower in the United States than in the other OECD countries, however. Generics made up 90% of the prescription drug volume in the United States, whereas they only accounted for 41% of the prescription volume in the other OECD countries.
Nearly 85% of new drugs available are introduced in the United States first or at the same time as in other countries. More than half of these new drugs make their debut in the United States before being launched elsewhere, and, on average, there’s about a one-year gap between their introduction in the United States and their launch in other countries, according to the report.
- ASPE Reports: https://aspe.hhs.gov/reports/comparing-prescription-drugs
- ASPE Cover (4 Pages)
- International Prescription Drug Price Comparisons: Estimates Using 2022 Data (66 Pages)
- New Drug Availability and Launch Timing (41 Pages)