The report, Trends in Outpatient Prescription Gastrointestinal Agents Purchases and Expenditures for the U.S. Civilian Noninstitutionalized Population, 1997 and 2007, also found total expenditures for GI agents rising from $7.0 billion in 1997 to $18.9 billion in 2007. The average drug expenditure per person also rose from $386 in 1997 to $653 in 2007, and the average expenditure per drug purchase also rose from $90 in 1997 to $120 in 2007.
The amount of patients purchasing GI agents also increased across age groups:
- 17 and younger — Increase to 2.5 percent (2007) from 1.5 percent (1997)
- 18-64 — Increase to 8.9 percent (2007) from 6.4 percent (1997)
- 65 and older — Increase to 26.6 percent (2007) from 18.6 percent (1997)
The report also found increases in expenditures across racial and poverty status lines.
