In the United States, prescription drug prices are continually on the rise, but officials are claiming that the overall cost of medical inflation is now at an all-time low. To middle-class families, this announcement does not create much of an impact since they are now, more than ever, paying for medical care right out of their pockets.
Based on a survey conducted by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the United States is the first in the list of countries that were assessed for per capita spending in 2013. Americans are spending nearly $1000 annually to cover pharmaceutical costs. This figure is a staggering 40% higher than Canada, which is the second country on the list. This scenario highlights the pressing question of why drug prices are so high, although medical scientists and researchers standby their claim is that the cost of drugs in the market does not even accurately reflect the cost of developing and producing these life-saving preparations. Spurred on by this persistent debate, FiercePahrma conducted a research that revealed five of the world's most expensive drugs.
Coming in at fifth place is Acthar Gel from Questcor Pharmaceuticals. This drug has been used to manage several conditions including multiple sclerosis relapses, infantile spasms, and rheumatic disorders such as ankylosing spondylitis. Concern over the price of this FDA approved drug stems mainly from the fact that it has undergone over 1,000 price increases. In 2001, a vial of this drug cost $40, but by 2007 a single prescription cost close to $42,000.
The annual cost for Cinryze, a drug used to treat hereditary angioedema, is now $230,826 per patient.
Kalydeco is a drug that is used to treat the underlying causes of cystic fibrosis. The price tag for a drug that can provide treatment at this level for this condition comes at almost $300,000 per year, per patient.
Naglazyme is a drug used to treat Maroteaux-Lamy Syndrome, which is a condition that progressively causes enlargement of the patient's organs coupled with skeletal abnormalities. The annual price for each patient is just a few thousand dollars shy of $490,000.
Finally, the most expensive drug in the world is Soliris, with a price tag of $536,629 annually per patient. This preparation is used to treat paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria, a rare but condition characterized by the premature death of red blood cells.