Mass. residents spent $10B on prescriptions in 2018
Massachusetts residents spent $10 billion on prescription drugs at pharmacies in 2018, according to a report Thursday by the Massachusetts Center for Health Information and Analysis.
In all, pharmacy spending accounted for 17% of state residents' total medical expenses, CHIA said.
In each of the last three years ending in 2017, one drug claimed the top spot as most prescribed: Lisinopril, which is used to treat high blood pressure and is often prescribed under the names Qbrelis, Prinivil, and Zestril. Nearly 1.5 million prescriptions were claimed for insurance coverage over that time, CHIA reported.
Other mostly commonly prescribed drugs included Simvastatin and Atorvastatin, which treat high cholesterol, Levothyroxine, which treats an underactive thyroid, and Omeprazole, which treats heartburn.
The largest proportion of prescription spending was on anti-inflammatory drugs, including Humira, which was developed at biotech's AbbVie's Worcester facility, and Enbrel, according to the report.
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