Drug Pricing in the United States: A Comparison with Canada and Mexico

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess prescription drug pricing in the United States compared with that in Canada and Mexico. The study was designed to focus on ACE inhibitors in order to gather a limited, yet meaningful outcome. Prices of eight ACE inhibitors and their generic equivalents were gathered for the United States, Canada, and Mexico via Walgreens and international online pharmacies, respectively. The differences in price per pill for Canada and Mexico when paired against the United States were analyzed using t statistics. The results indicate there is a significant price difference for brand name and generic ACE inhibitors in Canada and the United States. However, no significant cost difference was determined for brand name or generic ACE inhibitors in Mexico and the United States. Prices for brand name and generic ACE inhibitors in Canada were found to be lower than those in Mexico.