25 Most Popular Drugs by US Spending in 2023

A new report shows that the United States will have spent a total of more than $722 billion on prescription drugs in 2023. That’s an increase in spending of almost 14 percent from 2022 – the largest annual increase in the past two decades – and researchers say growth isn’t expected to continue until 2024.

According to a new study published April 24 in the American Journal of Health-System pharmacy, semaglutide – known by the brand names Ozempic, Rybelsus and Wegovy, and often prescribed for diabetes or weight management – ​​topped the list of most popular drugs in 2023 by total U.S. spending. The US spent almost $38.6 billion on the drugs, which could cost more than $38.6 billion. $1,000 per month without insurance coverage.

Given the rising demand for these drugs, which can help some people lose an average of 15 percent of their body weight, lead study author Eric Tichy said he expected spending to be high. “But we didn’t expect it to be as high as it was,” said Tichy, a pharmacist and president of the Mayo Clinic division. It’s worth noting that a similar drug known for its weight-loss benefits — tirzepatide, whose brand names are Mounjaro and Zepbound — also made the list of popular drugs as measured by total U.S. spending for 2023.

Former frontrunner adalimumab (brand name Humira, plus several biosimilar competitors), which treats autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease and psoriatic arthritis, came in second on the list of most popular drugs, with a total of 35.3 billion dollars in U.S. spending in 2023. And apixaban (Eliquis), prescribed to prevent strokes and blood clots in people with a heart condition known as atrial fibrillation, ranked third, with about $22 billion in spending.

Why Rx Spending Is Rising

The study authors note that the nearly 14 percent increase in spending between 2022 and 2023 was mainly driven by three factors:

1. More people taking prescription medications. A likely contributor to higher usage, Tichy says, is expanded indications. This is when an already approved drug is approved for a different use.