Why are drug costs growing so rapidly?
The growth of government’s spending on prescription drugs is related to three factors: • More Nova Scotians are enrolling in the Pharmacare programs. Pharmacare helps Nova Scotians who need it most with the cost of their prescription drugs. This includes seniors, families and people without private health insurance. Last year, Pharmacare helped more than 200,000 Nova Scotians pay for their prescription drugs, up from 180,000 five years ago. • People are taking more medications. Last year, Pharmacare helped pay for close to five million prescriptions, up from just over four million five years ago. • Medications are costing more. Without taking measures to slow the growth of spending on prescription drugs, government estimates drug costs will grow by close to seven per cent this year alone, up to just over $300 million.
