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More Consumers Buying Prescription Drugs for Indigestion

Over-the-counter remedies losing favor

February 5, 2010
For an upset stomach, consumers in the past reached for an inexpensive over-the-counter remedy for relief. But now, an increasing number pay for a prescription drug to do the job.

The number of U.S. consumers buying prescription drugs to treat digestive conditions climbed over 50 percent, rising from 18.1 million to 29 million people between 1997 and 2007, according to the latest News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, a federal agency.

Just how much did they spend? A lot. The report shows that total annual spending for these prescription drugs increased from $7 billion in 1997 to nearly $19 billion in 2007.

And its not just adults opting for prescription relief. The proportion of children ages 17 and younger who had at least one prescription drug for a digestive condition purchased rose from 1.5 percent to 2.5 percent.

For seniors, the rate rose from 18.6 percent to 26.6 percent.

The total number of prescription drug purchases for digestive conditions -- drugs like Prilosec, Prevacid, Nexium and Zantac -- more than doubled from 77.8 million to 158.4 million.

The average expense per digestive prescription drug purchase increased 33 percent, the report found, from $90 to $120. Many consumers with prescription drug plans, of course, paid only a small portion of that, with the remainder picked up by the government of an insurance company.

The estimates do not include over-the-counter drugs and prescription drugs administered in inpatient, physician's office or clinic settings.

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