RAND study finds US Rx drug prices 2.56 times higher than in other countries

In another attack on US medicine pricing, a report published today by the RAND Corporation shows that prescription drug prices in the USA average 2.56 times those seen in 32 other nations.

The gap between prices in the USA and other countries is even larger for brand-named drugs, with US prices averaging 3.44 times those in comparison nations.

The RAND study found that prices for unbranded generic drugs - which account for 84% of drugs sold in the USA by volume but only 12% of US spending -- are slightly lower in the USA than in most other nations; prices were 84% of the average paid in other nations.