US drug prices have risen more than twice as much as inflation

US drug prices have risen more than twice as much as inflation. After falling during the recession, drug prices returned to the growth rate of a decade ago last year. Data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis show...

Drug prices last year returned to growth rates of a decade ago after falling during the recession. According to data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis, prescription drug prices increased by 3.6% in 2012, more than double the inflation rate of 1.7%.

Nexium, which treats heartburn, costs an average of $262 per prescription, up 7.8% in 2012. (network diagram)