Projecting future drug expenditures--2010.
OBJECTIVE
Drug expenditure trends in 2008 and 2009, projected drug expenditures for 2010, and factors likely to influence drug expenditures are discussed.


CONCLUSIONS
Various factors are likely to influence drug expenditures in 2010, including drugs in development, the diffusion of new drugs, generic drugs, health care reform, drug safety concerns, and comparative effectiveness research. The increasing availability of important generic drugs continues to moderate growth in drug expenditures. Health care reform initiatives, including the potential for biosimilars legislation, will influence drug expenditures in all settings. From 2007 to 2008, total U.S. drug expenditures increased by 1.8%, with total spending rising from $279.6 billion to $284.7 billion. Growth in drug expenditures in clinics declined to the lowest level in a decade, a 1.0% increase from 2007 to 2008. Hospital drug expenditures increased at a moderate rate of only 2.1% from 2007 to 2008; through the first nine months of 2009, hospital drug expenditures increased by 3.0% compared with the same period in 2008.


CONCLUSIONS
In 2010, we project a 3-5% increase in drug expenditures in outpatient settings, a 6-8% increase in expenditures for clinic-administered drugs, and a 2-4% increase in hospital drug expenditures.
Hoffman
James M
JM
Pharmaceutical Department, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA.
Doloresco
Fred
F
Vermeulen
Lee C
LC
Shah
Nilay D
ND
Matusiak
Linda
L
Hunkler
Robert J
RJ
Schumock
Glen T
GT
D057186:Comparative Effectiveness Research; D017277:Drug Approval / Q000191:economics; D016527:Drug Costs / Q000639:trends*; D016568:Drugs, Generic / Q000191:economics; D004469:Economics, Hospital / Q000639:trends; D005544:Forecasting; D018166:Health Care Reform / Q000191:economics / Q000639:trends; D005102:Health Expenditures / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000191:economics*; D014481:United States
D016568:Drugs, Generic; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations