IBM Watson compiles price fluctuation data over the past decade in the wholesale acquisition costs for the 10 most-frequently administered emergency department drugs.
President Donald Trump is scheduled Friday afternoon to outline his administration's plans to control drug prices.
In anticipation of his remarks, IBM Watson Health has provided a breakdown of changes in pharmaceutical wholesale acquisition cost for the top 10 most frequently-administered emergency department drugs within the last 10 years:
- Ondansetron: 24% price increase (injectable); 52% price decrease (oral)
- Acetaminophen/Hydrocodone: No price change
- Ketorolac: 40% price decrease (injectable); 153% price increase (oral)
- Morphine: 77% increase (injectable); no price change (oral)
- Albuterol: 69% increase
- Hydromorphone: 81% increase (injectable); no price change (oral)
- Acetaminophen/Oxycodone: 90% increase
- Tramadol: 45% decrease (Price change since 2002)
- Lidocaine: 59% increase
- Azithromycin: 12% decrease (injectable); 56% decrease (oral)
In addition, the most-commonly administered non-drug treatment in emergency departments, intravenous sodium chloride, has experienced price increases ranging from 162% to 328% depending on the manufacturer and quantity.
IBM Watson Health compiled the numbers from extracted pricing information for each drug identified as most-commonly prescribed by the Centers for Disease Control in its National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey: 2015 Emergency Department Summary Tables.
Most recent wholesale acquisition cost changes were tracked for adult dose National Drug Codes for each drug and unique dose form.
John Commins is a content specialist and online news editor for HealthLeaders, a Simplify Compliance brand.