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

How do the list prices and affordability of essential medicines compare across high-, middle-, and low-income countries?This cross-sectional study, which analyzed data from 2022 on list prices and volumes of 549 essential medicines in 72 high-, middle-, and low-income markets, found large differences in list prices and affordability of medicines across markets. When adjusting for the purchasing power of different currencies, there was an inverse association between drug prices and country income levels, suggesting that richer countries had lower real prices.Strategies to promote equitable drug prices and improve drug affordability are urgently needed.

Corresponding Author: Olivier J. Wouters, PhD, Department of Health Services, Policy and Practice, Brown University School of Public Health, 121 S Main St, Providence, RI 02903 (olivier_wouters@brown.edu).

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