Across 50 countries around the world, a comparative study examined cost disparities for 13 medications. The U.S. toped the list as the most expensive drug country, followed closely by Japan. At the other end of the scale, Thailand was the most accessible access to the treatments.

In the study conducted by Medbelle, a London-based online healthcare network, 13 popular pharmaceutical compounds were chosen to compare their costs in different countries in euros, irrespective of whether they were protected by a healthcare system or paid for directly by patients.

Average prices were included for branded compounds and their generic versions so that each drug had a comprehensive profile. To order to make the costs equivalent, the dose volume was also standardized. Once all these data were obtained, it was possible to calculate the average price for each compound in the 50 countries, as well as the difference between the actual cost per dose in each country and the average global value (from the highest to the lowest cost).

Major price differences between countries

The main difference was between the U.S. (+ 306.82 percent), the highest-ranking country, and Thailand (-93.93 percent), the cheapest pharmaceutical country, that demonstrated the huge price gap consumers were paying for the same medication worldwide.

The birth control pill Yasmin +785.99% more expensive in US

A drug like Viagra is also worth more than gold in the United States, where it is + 785.99 percent more expensive than the 50 countries studied on the global average. Japan (+ 371.78%) and Chile (+ 182.65%) are the other two countries where Viagra, the world’s most popular drug, has the highest price. At the other side of the table, Ireland (-90.57%), Egypt (-89.24%) and Argentina (-81.42%) are the countries where Viagra is most available.

The birth control pill Yasmin was much more expensive in the United States (+ 785.99%), Japan (+ 785.99%), and Chile (+ 182.65%), along with Egypt (-73.18%), the Netherlands (-55.68%) as well as India (-54.94%).

Source: www.healthgazette24.com