Annual Price Increases of Most Commonly Prescribed Brand-Name Drugs

July 9, 2018

Anthony Vecchione is Executive Editor of Drug Topics.

The most often prescribed drugs for seniors, and how their prices have changed.

Prices for the most prescribed brand-name drugs for seniors increased 12% every year for the last five years, almost 10 times higher than the average annual rate of inflation.

A study released by the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs concluded that 12 of these drugs (60%) had their prices increased by more than 50% in the five-year period while 35% or six of the 20, had price increases of more than 100%. In one instance, the average wholesale acquisition cost (WAC) for a single drug increased by 477% over a five-year period.

Here's a look at the top 12 most commonly prescribed brand name drugs for seniors and their price increases over the last five years.

Advair Diskus
2012 Annual Weighted Average WAC Price: $227.60
2017 Annual Weighted Average WAC Price: $360.86
Average Annual Percent Change (2012-2017): 10%
Percent Change (2012-2017): 59%

Januvia
2012 Annual Weighted Average WAC Price: $306.58
2017 Annual Weighted Average WAC Price: $517.91
Average Annual Percent Change (2012-2017): 11%
Percent Change (2012-2017): 69%

Lantus Solostar
2012 Annual Weighted Average WAC Price: $144.15
2017 Annual Weighted Average WAC Price: $354.12
Average Annual Percent Change (2012-2017): 20%
Percent Change (2012-2017): 146%

Novolog Flexpen
2012 Annual Weighted Average WAC Price: $131.95
2017 Annual Weighted Average WAC Price: $313.05
Average Annual Percent Change (2012-2017): 19%
Percent Change (2012-2017): 137%%

Proair Hfa
2012 Annual Weighted Average WAC Price: $39.96%
2017 Annual Weighted Average WAC Price: $54.05%
Average Annual Percent Change (2012-2017): 6%
Percent Change (2012-2017): 35%

Restasis
2012 Annual Weighted Average WAC Price: $167.62
2017 Annual Weighted Average WAC Price: $321.26
Average Annual Percent Change (2012-2017): 14%%
Percent Change (2012-2017): 92%

Spiriva
2012 Annual Weighted Average WAC Price: $244.77
2017 Annual Weighted Average WAC Price: $348.30
Average Annual Percent Change (2012-2017): 7%
Percent Change (2012-2017): 42%

Synthroid
2012 Annual Weighted Average WAC Price: $96.35
2017 Annual Weighted Average WAC Price: $153.82
Average Annual Percent Change (2012-2017): 10%
Percent Change (2012-2017): 60%

Tamiflu
2012 Annual Weighted Average WAC Price: $97.94
2017 Annual Weighted Average WAC Price: $143.18
Average Annual Percent Change (2012-2017): 8%
Percent Change (2012-2017): 46%

Ventolin
2012 Annual Weighted Average WAC Price: $34.67
2017 Annual Weighted Average WAC Price: $50.68
Average Annual Percent Change (2012-2017): 8%
Percent Change (2012-2017): 46%

Xarelto
2012 Annual Weighted Average WAC Price: $258.82
2017 Annual Weighted Average WAC Price: $449.51
Average Annual Percent Change (2012-2017): 12%
Percent Change (2012-2017): 74%

Zetia
2012 Annual Weighted Average WAC Price: $225.63
2017 Annual Weighted Average WAC Price: $483.71
Average Annual Percent Change (2012-2017): 16%
Percent Change (2012-2017): 114%

*The following drugs were also included among the top most prescribed drugs for seniors.
Crestor, Lyrica, Nexium, Nitrostat, Premarin, Symbicort, Voltaren Gel, Zostavax.