Richer countries pay less for their medicines

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2025-08-16 01:00

Australia; Pacific; International

Photo by Roberto Sorin on Unsplash

Richer countries pay less for their medicines in real terms, once the purchasing power of different currencies is taken into account, according to international research. The study looked at the availability and prices of over 500 essential medicines in 72 countries and found that the list prices of essential medicines were highest, on average, in the Americas and lowest in the Western Pacific after accounting for the purchasing power of different currencies. Australia was considered to be paying low prices for its medicines. Overall, many low- and middle-income countries were found to be paying higher prices for the same essential medicines compared to wealthier countries, placing a disproportionate cost burden on patients in poorer nations, the authors say.

Media release

From: JAMA

Prices and Affordability of Essential Medicines in 72 Low-, Middle-, and High-Income Markets

JAMA Health Forum
Original Investigation

Access to Essential Medicines—High-Level Insights and Unanswered Questions

JAMA Health Forum

About JAMA Health Forum: JAMA Health Forum is an international, peer-reviewed, online, open access journal that addresses health policy and strategies affecting medicine, health and health care. The journal publishes original research, evidence-based reports and opinion about national and global health policy; innovative approaches to health care delivery; and health care economics, access, quality, safety, equity and reform. Its distribution will be solely digital and all content will be freely available for anyone to read.

About The Study: The results of this cross-sectional analysis showed significant variation in the prices and affordability of 549 essential medicines across 72 markets in 2022. Strategies to promote equitable drug prices and improve drug affordability are urgently needed.

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Research JAMA, Web page Please link to the article in online versions of your report (the URL will go live after the embargo ends).

Journal/
conference: JAMA Health Forum

Research: Link to Paper 1 | Paper 2

Organisation/s: Brown University, USA

Funder: This study was funded through the 2021 Research Support Fund from the London School of Economics and Political Science (DrWouters) and grant 20223645 from the Commonwealth Fund (Dr Papanicolas).

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