National trends in prescription drug expenditures and projections for 2016

Abstract

We project an 11-13% increase in total drug expenditures overall in 2016, with a 15-17% increase in clinic spending and a 10-12% increase in hospital spending. Health-system pharmacy leaders should carefully examine local drug utilization patterns in projecting their own organization's drug spending in 2016.

Managing the Rising Costs and High Drug Expenditures in Critical Care Pharmacy Practice

“…The specific medications included in this review were selected by consensus discussion based on our clinical and operational experiences, review of those medications with the most substantial price increases, and the amount of literature available for specific medications or classes. 3 References from select publications were reviewed for additional citations. The authors' libraries were also searched for relevant publications and abstract presentations.…”

“…5 Vasopressin, in particular, has recently exhibited triple-digit price increases and a nearly 700% price increase since 2014. 3 Of the top older generic agents with the largest price increases in 2015, critical care medications accounted for the top two with vasopressin and neostigmine, respectively. 3…”

“…2 A more recent report projected that hospital drug costs would increase 20% in the year 2016. 3 Particularly in recent years, common medications used in the ICU setting that have historically been relatively inexpensive have seen exorbitant price increases. In addition, traditional high-cost items continue to challenge budgets.…”

Green shoots but deep roots: New antibodies in small fiber neuropathy

“…The agent that arguably offers least toxicity and that has been proven effective for inflammatory demyelinating neuropathy is intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg). Supplies of IVIg are limited and the cost is high . Small fiber neuropathy is not currently an approved indication for IVIg, and, because health systems are combating expenses by implementing evidence‐based guidelines for IVIg use, it will become more challenging to use .…”

Is ICER NICEr?

“…The US has the highest pharmaceutical costs in the world and the rate of increase is also the highest. Furthermore, a report on national trends in drug expenditures shows that total drug expenditures are expected to increase by 6.0-8.0% in 2017 [2]. Pharmaceutical expenditures are increasing more rapidly than overall healthcare expenditures, which is partly due to the opaque nature of the drug pricing process in the US.…”