GoodRx Report Reveals Striking Gender Divide in Prescription Medication Spending
GoodRx (GDRX) has released a report revealing significant gender disparities in prescription medication costs. In 2024, women spent $8.8 billion more than men on out-of-pocket prescription costs, representing a 30% higher expenditure.
Key findings show women spent nearly $40 billion in total out-of-pocket prescription costs, with female-specific conditions exceeding $1.5 billion. The gender gap is most pronounced among women aged 18-44, who spend up to 64% more than men of the same age group. Women also outspend men significantly on mental health treatments, paying 113% more for depression medications and 103% more for anxiety treatments.
To address this disparity, GoodRx offers savings at over 70,000 pharmacies nationwide, including discounts up to 43% on fertility treatments and special pricing for menopause therapies ($99-$249 range).
GoodRx (GDRX) ha pubblicato un rapporto che rivela significative disparità di genere nei costi dei farmaci prescritti. Nel 2024, le donne hanno speso 8,8 miliardi di dollari in più rispetto agli uomini per i costi dei farmaci di propria tasca, rappresentando una spesa superiore del 30%.
I risultati chiave mostrano che le donne hanno speso quasi 40 miliardi di dollari in totale per i costi dei farmaci di propria tasca, con condizioni specifiche per le donne che superano 1,5 miliardi di dollari. Il divario di genere è più pronunciato tra le donne di età compresa tra 18 e 44 anni, che spendono fino a il 64% in più rispetto agli uomini della stessa fascia di età. Le donne spendono anche significativamente di più degli uomini per i trattamenti per la salute mentale, pagando il 113% in più per i farmaci contro la depressione e il 103% in più per i trattamenti per l'ansia.
Per affrontare questa disparità, GoodRx offre risparmi in oltre 70.000 farmacie a livello nazionale, inclusi sconti fino al 43% sui trattamenti per la fertilità e prezzi speciali per le terapie per la menopausa (tra $99 e $249).
GoodRx (GDRX) ha publicado un informe que revela disparidades significativas de género en los costos de los medicamentos recetados. En 2024, las mujeres gastaron 8.8 mil millones de dólares más que los hombres en costos de medicamentos de su propio bolsillo, lo que representa un gasto un 30% más alto.
Los hallazgos clave muestran que las mujeres gastaron casi 40 mil millones de dólares en total en costos de medicamentos de su propio bolsillo, con condiciones específicas para mujeres que superan 1.5 mil millones de dólares. La brecha de género es más pronunciada entre las mujeres de 18 a 44 años, que gastan hasta un 64% más que los hombres de la misma franja de edad. Las mujeres también gastan significativamente más que los hombres en tratamientos de salud mental, pagando un 113% más por medicamentos para la depresión y un 103% más por tratamientos de ansiedad.
Para abordar esta disparidad, GoodRx ofrece ahorros en más de 70,000 farmacias en todo el país, incluidos descuentos de hasta el 43% en tratamientos de fertilidad y precios especiales para terapias de menopausia (rango de $99 a $249).
GoodRx (GDRX)는 처방약 비용에서 성별 간의 상당한 불균형을 드러내는 보고서를 발표했습니다. 2024년에는 여성들이 자비로 지출한 처방약 비용이 남성보다 88억 달러 더 많았다, 이는 30% 더 높은 지출을 의미합니다.
주요 발견에 따르면 여성들은 자비로 지출한 총 처방약 비용이 거의 400억 달러에 달하며, 여성-specific 질환 비용은 15억 달러를 초과합니다. 성별 격차는 18세에서 44세 사이의 여성에게 가장 두드러지며, 이들은 같은 연령대의 남성보다 64% 더 많은 비용을 지출합니다. 또한 여성은 정신 건강 치료에서도 남성보다 상당히 더 많은 비용을 지출하며, 우울증 약물에 대해 113% 더 많은 비용을 지불하고 불안 치료에 대해서도 103% 더 많은 비용을 지불합니다.
이 불균형을 해소하기 위해 GoodRx는 전국 70,000개 이상의 약국에서 43%까지의 할인과 함께 생식 치료에 대한 특별 가격을 제공하고 있으며, 폐경기 치료는 $99-$249 사이의 가격으로 제공됩니다.
GoodRx (GDRX) a publié un rapport révélant d'importantes disparités de genre dans les coûts des médicaments sur ordonnance. En 2024, les femmes ont dépensé 8,8 milliards de dollars de plus que les hommes pour les coûts des médicaments à leur charge, représentant une dépense supérieure de 30%.
Les résultats clés montrent que les femmes ont dépensé près de 40 milliards de dollars au total pour les coûts des médicaments à leur charge, avec des conditions spécifiques aux femmes dépassant 1,5 milliard de dollars. L'écart entre les sexes est le plus prononcé chez les femmes âgées de 18 à 44 ans, qui dépensent jusqu'à 64% de plus que les hommes de la même tranche d'âge. Les femmes dépensent également beaucoup plus que les hommes pour les traitements de santé mentale, payant 113% de plus pour les médicaments contre la dépression et 103% de plus pour les traitements de l'anxiété.
Pour remédier à cette disparité, GoodRx propose des économies dans plus de 70 000 pharmacies à travers le pays, y compris des réductions allant jusqu'à 43% sur les traitements de fertilité et des prix spéciaux pour les thérapies de la ménopause (entre 99 et 249 dollars).
GoodRx (GDRX) hat einen Bericht veröffentlicht, der signifikante Geschlechterunterschiede bei den Kosten für verschreibungspflichtige Medikamente offenbart. Im Jahr 2024 gaben Frauen 8,8 Milliarden Dollar mehr aus als Männer für Selbstkosten bei verschreibungspflichtigen Medikamenten, was eine 30% höhere Ausgabe darstellt.
Wichtige Ergebnisse zeigen, dass Frauen insgesamt fast 40 Milliarden Dollar für Selbstkosten bei verschreibungspflichtigen Medikamenten ausgegeben haben, wobei geschlechtsspezifische Erkrankungen über 1,5 Milliarden Dollar ausmachen. Die Geschlechterlücke ist bei Frauen im Alter von 18 bis 44 Jahren am ausgeprägtesten, die bis zu 64% mehr als Männer derselben Altersgruppe ausgeben. Frauen geben auch erheblich mehr für psychische Gesundheitsbehandlungen aus und zahlen 113% mehr für Antidepressiva und 103% mehr für Angstbehandlungen.
Um diese Diskrepanz zu beheben, bietet GoodRx Einsparungen in über 70.000 Apotheken im ganzen Land, einschließlich Rabatten von bis zu 43% auf Fruchtbarkeitsbehandlungen und Sonderpreise für Menopausentherapien (im Bereich von 99 bis 249 Dollar).
- Company expanding access to affordable medications through 70,000+ pharmacy network
- Offering significant discounts up to 43% on fertility treatments
- Providing competitive pricing on menopause therapies ($99-$249)
- Strategic partnerships with pharmaceutical companies and retail pharmacies to reduce costs
- Research reveals concerning gender disparity in healthcare costs affecting company's target market
- Women's significantly higher spending ($8.8B more than men) indicates potential affordability barriers
- Large price gaps in mental health medications may impact medication adherence
Women Spent
Though the “pink tax” is often thought about as higher prices on consumer goods, the research suggests that it also manifests itself in the hidden costs of healthcare. Higher healthcare utilization, higher rates of chronic conditions, and spending on female-specific conditions like women’s fertility and menopause contribute to this imbalance. Women are filling more prescriptions than men, but forgoing treatment isn’t more cost effective in the long run, either. If left untreated, many of the conditions women are proactively managing can be debilitating, interrupting their lives and work, and necessitating more serious and expensive medical interventions down the line.
Highlights from the new report include:
-
Women spent almost
$40 billion 30% more out-of-pocket than men last year, a trend that has remained consistent over recent years. -
Out-of-pocket spending on female-specific conditions exceeded
$1.5 billion $16.95 $29.38 $37.87 -
The gender gap is largest for women ages 18 to 44: Women ages 18 to 44 spend up to
64% more out-of-pocket on medications than men of the same age group. As they age, the gap gets smaller. Women ages 45 to 64 spent35.3% more than men in 2024, and women over 65 spent16.5% more. -
Women significantly outspend men on mental health treatments. Women spend
113% more out-of-pocket on depression medications and103% more on anxiety treatments than men. These disparities are likely driven by both higher prescription fill rates and systemic factors, such as differences in how mental health conditions are diagnosed and treated between genders.
“Though we typically think of the ‘pink tax’ as an upcharge on goods and services, these latest findings illustrate how the spending gap between men and women transcends grocery store shelves, with women paying a premium just to maintain their health,” says Tori Marsh, MPH, Director of Research at GoodRx. “This gender inequality leaves women with a greater financial burden, potentially requiring women to choose between their own health and other recurring expenses. This can lead to more serious health issues and create extra strain–not just on individuals–but on the healthcare system as a whole.”
To address the gender gap, GoodRx is helping women save time and money when filling their medications at more than 70,000 pharmacies nationwide. This includes offering savings on medications for female-specific conditions, like birth control, menopause treatments, and fertility medications, as well as other conditions that disproportionately affect women. These savings include:
-
Fertility Treatments: Discounts of up to
43% on fertility treatments based on the best available GoodRx price, including savings on both brand-name and generic medications used in IVF -
Menopause Hormone Therapies: Low cash prices for menopause hormone therapies by Pfizer in the range of
$99 -$249 - Birth Control: A seamless ecommerce option for purchasing Opill, the first over-the-counter daily birth control pill, and significant discounts on prescription birth control
- Mental Health and Autoimmune Medications: Low cash prices for critical medications like Pristiq, Cytomel and Synthroid
-
Common Heart Health Medications: 30 of the most common heart health medications are available on GoodRx for under
$30
“Affordable healthcare doesn’t just support better health and quality of life for women, but has a positive ripple effect on our families, communities and healthcare system,” said Dorothy Gemmell, Chief Commercial Officer at GoodRx. “At GoodRx, we are working closely with healthcare’s key stakeholders–from pharmaceutical companies to retail pharmacies–to help women at all stages of life access lower prices on essential medications.”
This research was debuted at SXSW 2025 during a GoodRx-moderated session titled “The Hidden Pink Tax Fueling High Healthcare Costs for Women,” which included an all-women panel, with participants representing pharmacies, pharmaceutical manufacturers, and telehealth platforms.
The full Prescription Drug Gender Divide report is available from GoodRx Research, here.
About GoodRx
GoodRx is the leading platform for medication savings in the
GoodRx periodically posts information that may be important to investors on its investor relations website at https://investors.goodrx.com. We intend to use our website as a means of disclosing material nonpublic information and for complying with our disclosure obligations under Regulation FD. Accordingly, investors and potential investors are encouraged to consult GoodRx’s website regularly for important information, in addition to following GoodRx’s press releases, filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and public conference calls and webcasts. The information contained on, or that may be accessed through, GoodRx’s website is not incorporated by reference into, and is not a part of, this press release.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements contained in this press release that do not relate to matters of historical fact should be considered forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements regarding anticipated consumer savings and accessibility; and the objectives and potential benefits and value of the GoodRx research and savings. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, risks relating to our ability to achieve broad market education and change consumer purchasing habits; changes in medication pricing and pricing structures; our reliance on a limited number of industry participants; and the important factors discussed under the caption “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, and our other filings with the SEC. Any such forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, projections and estimates as of the date of this press release. While we may elect to update such forward-looking statements at some point in the future, we disclaim any obligation to do so, even if subsequent events cause our views to change.
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FAQ
How much more did women spend on prescriptions compared to men in 2024 according to GoodRx (GDRX)?
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