9 out of every 10 prescriptions written in the U. S 9 out of every 10 prescriptions written in the U.S. are for generic medicines. When both brand and generic versions of the prescribed medicines were available, the generic is chosen 97% of the time. But it is important to note – although generics are 90% of the scripts written, they account for ONLY 22% of the total U.S. drug spend. Brand drugs, on the other hand, are only 10% of the scripts – but account for roughly 78% of the total U.S. prescription drug spend.

Because generics are lower cost, the corresponding co-pay costs for them is also lower – making them more affordable for patients. As a matter of fact – almost 90% of all generics have a co-pay of $20 or less. When people pay less for their medicine, a few things happen: The likelihood increases that they will remain adherent to their treatment – resulting in better health outcomes. And it means they can enjoy a better quality of life in other ways, being able to afford the things they need, and doing more of what they love.

Because generics generally cost pennies on the dollar, generics save patients and the U.S. health care system BILLIONS every year. In 2018 alone generic drugs saved the U.S. health care system $293 BILLION. Because generic prescriptions have grown to be about 90% of all scripts written the savings achieved from their use has grown as well. While brand patent expirations fluctuate generic savings will continue to play a significant role in holding down health care costs. It is important to note that this chart does not reflect savings from biosimilars. If those savings were calculated in, the number would be significantly higher.

This map shows the 2018 state-by-state savings from generics. California had the largest savings of any state, with $26.1 billion; average savings per state was $917 million. And we can go a little deeper in each state.