Have OxyContin prices gone up?
Yes. Purdue Pharma’s OxyContin has seen rising prices over time. In the U.S., the list price for OxyContin increased from $27.46 per tablet (2013) to $37.17 per tablet (2017) [1].
Is the increase consistent across years, or does it vary by formulation?
The available data show an increase between 2013 and 2017, but they don’t show the detailed path year-by-year beyond that window, and they don’t break out all strengths/formulations [1]. Prices can also vary depending on the specific dosage and the data source used (for example, list price versus net price after discounts).
What price measure is being used when people say “OxyContin got more expensive”?
The figure above refers to list price per tablet based on reported pricing data [1]. That matters because what patients ultimately pay can differ from list price due to insurance coverage, pharmacy discounts, and other pricing adjustments.
Could other factors make patients experience “higher prices” even if list price doesn’t rise?
Even with stable list pricing, out-of-pocket costs can rise due to changes in insurance coverage, copays, prior authorization rules, formularies, or shifts toward different product strengths. The provided source, however, only supports the list-price increase between 2013 and 2017 [1].
Sources
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7412222/