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Ozempic in the US Costs Over Five Times More Than in Other Countries
A Peterson–KFF Health System Tracker report found that weight loss drugs in the US cost more than in any other developed nation.
As weight loss drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro become increasingly popular in the United States, the financial weight of these drugs poses a significant burden for the US healthcare system. The Peterson–KFF Health System Tracker analyzed drug list prices for one month of weight loss drugs across 10 developed nations.
The data analyzed 2023 drug list prices as of August 15, 2023. Looking at the cost of Ozempic, the list price in the US is $936. Comparatively, Japan, which has the second most expensive list price, is less than one-fifth of the cost at $169. The least costly Ozempic list price provided by the tracker was in France, costing $83. In descending order of cost, Canada, Switzerland, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and Australia list prices fell in between Japan and France
In addition to Ozempic, researchers tracked the costs of Rybelsus, Wegovy, and Mounjaro. While list prices were not available in all countries for varying reasons, the prices in the US were consistently the highest among all available data.
For example, Rybelsus in the US is listed at $936. Meanwhile, Japan has the drug listed for the lowest cost at $69. Furthermore, in Sweden, Switzerland, Canada, and the Netherlands, Rybelsus costs significantly less than the US, at $103, $147, $158, and $203, respectively.
Mounjaro in the Japan and the Netherlands costs $319 and $444, respectively. Meanwhile, the listed cost in the US is $1,023.
Although data on Wegovy’s cost was only available for three countries, the cost disparities were dramatic. The listed price of Wegovy in the US is $1,349, which is over four times the cost in Germany ($328) and the Netherlands ($296).
While these prices do not account for insurance coverage and other financial savings, it’s evident that there is a significant pricing gap among developed nations. It is no secret that drug pricing in the US is an uphill battle. With minimal protocols to prevent companies from selling drugs at exorbitant costs, patients and the healthcare system continue to struggle financially.
Additionally, the US has significantly higher rates of obesity, meaning more of the population may need access to these medications. While 33.5% of adults in the US have a BMI of 30 or greater, the average for other comparable countries is significantly lower at 17.1%.
“Higher prices of drugs for weight loss and higher rates of obesity in the US could mean a more significant impact of these drugs on overall health spending in the US than in peer countries,” concluded the tracker report.
