Net price increases for seven drugs raised U.S. drug spending by $5.1 billion between 2017 and 2018 without evidence of improved safety or effectiveness, according to the first annual report by the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review on the costliest U.S. drug price increases unsupported by clinical evidence. For example, the average U.S. price for Humira, a drug used to treat chronic illnesses such as rheumatoid arthritis and ulcerative colitis, increased 15.9% over the period after accounting for rebates and other concessions, which increased spending on the drug by an additional $1.86 billion.
The report can be obtained at https://icer-review.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/ICER_UPI_Final_Report_and_Assessment_100819_Final.pdf.