Pricey Prescriptions

Total US revenues received by drug manufacturers in 2015 were $310 billion, up 8.5% from the 2014 level of $285 billion, which was, in turn, up 10.5% from 2013. These numbers exclude mark-ups and added costs associated with medicines reaching patients. The average patient share of the cost for a brand-name prescription filled through a health-insurance plan was $44. There were 4.4 billion prescription dispensed in 2015, or 13.75 prescriptions/person.