Prescription drug prices rise in the U.S. but down elsewhere

June 4, 2026

Americans are paying more – sometimes a lot more – for brand-name medications while consumers in other high-income countries are paying less.

That’s the finding of the latest AARP report, which looked at prices of the 25 top brand-name drugs sold in the U.S. and in 19 other countries. Overall, researchers at AARP’s Public Policy Institute found the cost of commonly prescribed brand-name drugs in the U.S. have risen an average of 81% since entering the market while in other countries those same drugs have fallen by an average of 13%.

The 25 drugs treat conditions such as type 2 diabetes, blood clots and cancer. They include Enbrel, a medication prescribed to patients with autoimmune diseases, which has jumped a whopping 873% since it was introduced in the U.S. Elsewhere, over the same period, the price of Enbrel dropped 27%.

Prices for drugs used to treat type 2 diabetes – Januvia and Trulicity – rose by more than 100% in the U.S. while dropping by 40% and 16% respectively in other countries.

“These findings highlight another factor in the U.S.’s comparatively high brand-name drug prices, as well as the potential of ongoing efforts to better align U.S. drug prices with the prices paid in other high-income countries,” says Leigh Purvis, AARP’s prescription drug policy principal and the author of the new report. 

Why are brand-name drug prices higher in the U.S.?

In the U.S., drug companies generally set their own prices, unlike many other countries where governments negotiate prices with manufacturers.  It’s also common for drug prices in the U.S. to increase over time, while many other countries have policies designed to lower drug prices after they enter the market.

Older Americans are typically hit hardest by price increases, as a 2026 study published in JAMA Network Open found most older adults take at least one prescription medication.

Have you seen the price of your prescriptions rise, even though you are taking the same drug? Voices for Affordable Health wants to hear from you.