Americans spent $11 billion on allergy treatment in 2005
According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Americans spent $11 billion on doctors’ bills, prescription drugs and other allergy treatments in 2005. That’s an average of $500 per person.
In 2000, Americans spent only $6 billion on allergies—nearly half of the 2005 figure. The question is, how much of the increase has to do with an increase in allergies, and how much has to do with a rise in prices? In both 2000 and 2005, popular medications such as Zyrtec and Claritin were strictly prescription drugs. Now, the two are over the counter—our guess is that there will be a significant increase in spending evident whenever they do the study next.
