Pharmaceutical Industry Is Developing Almost 800 Chronic Disease Drugs

As the rate of chronic disease in the United States continues to rise, industry members are looking for new and effective methods to manage and treat these disorders. The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America report that nearly 800 chronic disease drugs are being developed. While the drugs in development vary and address multiple conditions, cancer management medications take the lead.

According to the press release, the annual healthcare spending in the US amounts to $4.1 trillion. Of those costs, nearly 90% are allocated to chronic disease care and management. The source of the expenditure varies from medications to treat the disorder to hospitalizations from poorly managed conditions. Advanced and improved medicines for chronic conditions can help mitigate some of these costs.

The organization reports that there are approximately 322 cancer treatment drugs in development. Beyond that, the development includes 102 medications for cardiovascular disease management. Additionally, 83 Alzheimer’s, 71 diabetes, 70 arthritis, and 67 respiratory disease drugs are in development.

More development areas include 65 drugs for cardiovascular disease, 32 medications to manage obesity, and 26 to treat chronic kidney disease.  

Although developing these drugs can significantly improve chronic disease management, it is essential to note that management does not equate to prevention. Many leading chronic diseases are preventable with access to a healthy lifestyle and preventative healthcare. The best way to reduce chronic disease spending is to prevent diseases, to begin with.

That said, the press release does acknowledge the limited access to preventative care for marginalized communities.

It states, “recognizing the link between social determinants of health and chronic conditions is key to understanding and addressing health disparities among people of differing races, ethnicities, income levels, and geographic locations. As companies across the biopharmaceutical ecosystem continue to develop new medicines for the treatment of chronic conditions, it is essential to take meaningful action to help ensure underserved and historically marginalized communities are included in every step of the process.”

While the pharmaceutical industry is making a valiant effort to advance chronic disease management, effective chronic disease care will require combining pharmaceutical and lifestyle interventions with policy changes to approve access to care.