The most expensive drug category for nonfederal hospitals in 2024 were antineoplastic targeted agents, according to a study published in the American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy.
The report, published by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, found that U.S. drug spending rose 10.2% in 2024 to $805.9 billion, driven largely by the increasing use of GLP-1 receptor agonists for obesity and diabetes.
Here are the top 25 therapeutic drug categories ranked by nonfederal hospital expenditure in 2024:
- Antineoplastic targeted agents: $7.3 billion
- Hemostatic modifiers: $2.99 billion
- Immunologic agents: $2.97 billion
- Biologicals: $2.9 billion
- Hospital solutions: $2.48 billion
- Antiviral drugs: $2.37 billion
- Miscellaneous: $1.9 billion
- Antiinfectives, systemic: $1.54 billion
- Diagnostic aids: $1.47 billion
- Blood factors: $1.4 billion
- Antiarthritics: $958.7 million
- Anesthetics: $949.9 million
- Respiratory therapy agents: $949.1 million
- Diabetes therapies: $844.5 million
- Gastrointestinal agents: $732.8 million
- Musculoskeletal agents: $728.1 million
- Hormones: $724.2 million
- Psychotherapeutics: $697.4 million
- Antineoplastic chemotherapies: $649 million
- Neurological disorder drugs: $564.3 million
- Cardiac agents: $509.1 million
- Vascular agents: $476.8 million
- Analgesics: $445.6 million
- Enzymes: $401.2 million
- Contraceptives: $385.3 million
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