More Americans skipping necessary prescriptions, survey finds

One in seven Americans under age 65 went without prescribed medicines in 2007 as drug costs spiraled upward in the United States, according to the nonprofit research group Center for Studying Health System Change. That figure is up substantially since 2003, when one in 10 people under 65 went without a prescription drug because they couldn't afford it, according to the Center. "Our findings are particularly troublesome given the increased reliance on prescription drugs to treat chronic conditions," said Laurie E. Felland, the study's lead author. "People who go without their prescriptions experience worsening health and complications."