Medication Waste Cost U.S. $403 Billion in 2010
In 2010, pharmacy-related waste due to avoidable behaviors cost the United States $403 billion. Three factors contributed to pharmacy waste: $258 billion from medication non-adherence, $88.3 billion from channel waste, and $56.7 billion from drug-mix waste. Between 2010 and 2014, the cost of pharmacy-related waste is projected to exceed $1.2 trillion. The three pharmacy waste factors include the following costs: Non-adherence waste occurs when consumers fail to take medications as prescribed. It includes the cost of emergency room and physician office visits, lab tests, and inpatient hospitalizations related to exacerbation of the . . .
