Spending on prescription drugs in the U.S. increased 5.2 percent in 2015, roughly half the increase seen in 2014, according to a new report by Express Scripts.
This increase was primarily driven by the costliness of specialty medications to treat conditions such as cancer and rheumatoid arthritis.
Here are six findings from the report.
1. Specialty medications accounted for 37 percent of spending on prescription drugs in 2015 and are projected to reach 50 percent by 2018.
2. Specifically, spending on specialty medications increased 17.8 percent in 2015.
3. For the first year, a specialty disease class — inflammatory conditions, which includes rheumatoid arthritis — is the most expensive overall drug category. Unit cost increases greater than 17 percent for Enbrel (etanercept) and Humira Pen (adalimumab), contributed significantly to the 25 percent spending increase for inflammatory conditions, according to the report.
4. Inflammatory conditions, multiple sclerosis and oncology represent more than half (56.3 percent) of spending on specialty medications in the U.S.
5. A 19 percent increase last year for Gleevec significantly contributed to the 23.7 percent annual spending increase for oncology.
6. Diabetes was the most expensive among non-specialty classes, with an overall increase in spending of 14 percent in 2015, according to the report. High costs for pre-filled insulin pens and newer expensive therapies drove spending in the category.