What would you do if you couldn’t afford the prescription medicine you needed?

A new report reveals the difficult choices some Hispanic and Latino families are making when prescription drugs cost too much.

The analysis was conducted by Brown University’s Information Futures Lab in partnership with Patients For Affordable Drugs and We Are Más. Researchers spent five weeks listening to Hispanic, Latino and Spanish-speaking adults in South Florida. Participants described delaying treatment, rationing medications and using credit cards to pay for prescriptions. Some traveled outside the United States to buy medications they couldn’t afford in Florida.

Others described having to choose between filling a prescription and paying for necessities such as groceries, rent or utility bills.

And the impact wasn’t just financial. Participants talked about stress, anxiety, strained family relationships and fear that they might lose access to medications they need.

“Prescription drug prices are high because the system in the U.S. allows drug companies to charge prices that are at least four times higher than what patients in other countries pay,” said Merith Basey, CEO of Patients For Affordable Drugs. “Those prices adversely affect Hispanic and Latino communities at a higher rate, yet their experiences are too often absent from the conversations about the solutions. This report helps ensure their voices are included in the fight to make prescription drugs more affordable.”

The report offers an important reminder that behind every statistic about prescription drug costs are real people making real choices about their health and household budgets.

Have prescription drug costs forced you or someone in your family to delay filling a prescription, cut back on other expenses or search for a less expensive option? Share your experience with Voices for Affordable Health.

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