5 Drugs That Actually Decreased in Price Last Year

Not every drug saw a price increase in 2015, despite widespread media coverage suggesting otherwise.

Much of the national drug pricing debate last year centered on steep cost increases, including Daraprim’s infamous 5000% overnight price hike under former Turing Pharmaceuticals CEO Martin Shkreli.

Adding to this fervor was an announcement by the US government in December that between the Affordable Care Act and rising medication prices, health care spending reached $3 trillion in 2014.

But the year wasn’t all bad news for Americans filling prescriptions.

An analysis from the prescription drug cost comparison site GoodRx reveals that the 30 of the 50 most common generic drugs actually decreased in price by the end of 2015.

The conditions treated by these common generics run the gamut from mental health, to heart problems, to allergies or asthma.

Here are 5 popular generics that actually dropped in price last year:

1. Fluoxetine (Prozac)

Fluoxetine, which is indicated to treat depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder, decreased 30.4% in price last year. The drug costs an average of $5 for a 30-day supply.

2. Montelukast (Singulair)

Montelukast, which is indicated to treat chronic asthma, decreased 19.9% in price during 2015. The drug costs an average of $18 for a 30-day supply.

3. Duloxetine (Cymbalta)

Duloxetine, which is indicated as a treatment for major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder, saw a 10.4% price decrease last year. The drug costs an average of $38 for a 30-day supply.

4. Atorvastatin (Lipitor)

Atorvastatin, which is indicated to treat high cholesterol, decreased in price by 8.2% during 2015. The drug costs an average of $13 for a 30-day supply.

5. Losartan (Cozaar)

Losartan, which is indicated to treat high blood pressure and reduce the risk of stroke, decreased in price by 4.8% during 2015. The drug costs an average of $9 for a 30-day supply.