The IQVIA Institute for Human Data Science released its 2025 report in April, Understanding the Use of Medicines in the U.S., offering a comprehensive look at how medicines are being prescribed, accessed, and financed across the country. The findings reveal transformative trends in chronic disease treatment, the impact of policy shifts, and the persistent inequities that influence therapeutic access.

This evidence-based analysis is highly relevant for learners and professionals in the field of medicines development, particularly as healthcare systems worldwide grapple with balancing innovation, affordability, and accessibility.

📊 Highlights from the Report

  • GLP-1 agonists now make up 17% of all diabetes prescriptions, up from just 6% in 2019.
  • In December 2024, nearly 2 million prescriptions were filled for GLP-1 agonists used in obesity treatment—a fourfold increase over the previous year.
  • More than 79 million prescriptions in 2024 cost patients over $125.
  • Prescription opioid use declined to 1999 levels, coinciding with a 29% drop in overdose deaths year-over-year.

These figures spotlight both medical advancement and structural friction—offering a platform for discussion across public health, regulatory science, and health economics.

🩺 Key Growth Drivers: Chronic Disease and Novel Therapies

Prescription drug use reached 215 billion days of therapy in 2024, with chronic conditions such as diabetes, obesity, and inflammatory diseases driving much of this increase. Notably, GLP-1 receptor agonists—which manage both diabetes and weight—have rapidly expanded their footprint. In diabetes alone, their share of prescriptions nearly tripled in five years.


Figure: Share of GLP-1 agonists among diabetes prescriptions in the U.S., 2019–2024. Source: IQVIA Institute, 2025.

Meanwhile, the use of novel immunology medicines—particularly for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis—has surged. Between 2019 and 2024, days of therapy for immunology drugs grew by 72%.

⚖️ Gaps in Access: Equity and Utilization

Despite these advances, the report reveals troubling disparities in medicine utilization. For example, while men and women experience obesity at comparable rates, 76% of obesity-related GLP-1 prescriptions in 2024 were filled by women. Age and geography also misalign with disease burden, suggesting that social determinants and insurance design continue to mediate access.

💸 Financial Barriers and Abandonment

Out-of-pocket costs remain a significant obstacle to medication adherence. IQVIA reports that 27% of new prescriptions go unfilled, often because of high cost-sharing or coverage denials. Medicare patients in particular faced substantial financial burdens, though the Inflation Reduction Act’s Medicare Part D redesign began to lower these costs in 2024.

🔮 The Road Ahead: Spending, Innovation, and Regulation

Total U.S. spending on medicines reached $487 billion in 2024 and is projected to exceed $600 billion by 2029. Much of this growth is expected from oncology, obesity treatments, and next-generation biologics, including cell and gene therapies. However, losses of exclusivity, biosimilar competition, and price negotiation provisions under the Inflation Reduction Act are expected to temper the rise.

For pharmaceutical professionals, these trends underscore the necessity of integrating economic foresight and access strategy into the medicines development process.

🎓 Implications for GMDP Academy Learners

This report reaffirms GMDP Academy’s commitment to training globally minded professionals who understand not just the science, but also the economic and ethical dimensions of medicines development. Topics like benefit design, access equity, and payer systems are no longer peripheral—they are central to innovation success.

By engaging with evidence like IQVIA’s report, our learners are better prepared to shape policy, lead regulatory change, and deliver sustainable innovation across global healthcare systems.

📘 Reference

IQVIA Institute for Human Data Science. (2025, April). Understanding the use of medicines in the U.S. 2025: Evolving standards of care, patient access, and spending. https://www.iqvia.com/insights/the-iqvia-institute/reports-and-publications/reports/understanding-the-use-of-medicines-in-the-us-2025

Disclaimers

  • The material in these reviews is from various public open-access sources, meant for educational and informational purposes only
  • Any personal opinions expressed are those of only the author(s) and are not intended to represent the position of any organization(s)
  • No official support by any organization(s) has been provided or should be inferred