GoodRx Report Highlights Gender Divide in Prescription Spending
GoodRx (Nasdaq: GDRX), the leading platform for medication savings in the U.S., has released a new report titled The Prescription Drug Gender Divide. The report reveals that women face a significantly higher out-of-pocket cost burden for prescription medications compared to men. In 2024, women are projected to spend $8.8 billion, or 30% more than men, on out-of-pocket prescription costs. This financial strain is compounded by the additional pressures women face in managing careers, family planning, and caregiving responsibilities, leaving many frustrated by the high costs required to maintain their health.
GoodRx, the leading platform for medication savings in the U.S., has recently released a report, The Prescription Drug Gender Divide, shedding light on the gender-based disparities in out-of-pocket prescription costs. While the “pink tax” is commonly associated with higher prices on consumer goods, the report reveals that this imbalance extends into healthcare, particularly prescription drug spending. Women are shouldering a significantly greater financial burden when it comes to maintaining their health, spending 30% more than men on out-of-pocket prescription costs in 2024.
This gap, according to the research, is not only the result of higher healthcare utilization but also stems from the prevalence of chronic conditions and female-specific health needs. Conditions such as fertility, menopause, and other gender-specific disorders require women to pay more for specialized treatments. While women are filling more prescriptions than men, the financial pressure they face is compounded by the need to manage these health conditions proactively. Failing to address these issues early can lead to more serious, expensive medical interventions down the line.
The report highlights several key findings that illustrate the magnitude of this disparity:
1. Women Spent Nearly $40 Billion in 2024 on Out-of-Pocket Prescription Costs: Women are expected to spend 30% more than men on prescription medications in 2024. This trend has been consistent for several years, with women’s spending significantly surpassing that of men on prescription drugs.
2. Female-Specific Conditions Contribute to Higher Costs: Women spend more on prescriptions related to conditions that are unique to their health needs. In 2024, out-of-pocket spending on female-specific conditions exceeded $1.5 billion. Treatments for menopause, for example, average $16.95 per prescription, while conditions like endometriosis and morning sickness require more substantial spending—$29.38 and $37.87 per prescription, respectively.
3. The Gender Gap is Most Significant for Women Ages 18-44: Among women aged 18 to 44, the out-of-pocket spending on medications is up to 64% higher than that of men in the same age group. As women age, the gap narrows slightly. For women aged 45 to 64, the gap drops to 35.3%, and for those over 65, women spend 16.5% more on prescriptions than their male counterparts.
4. Women Spend Significantly More on Mental Health Treatments: One of the most notable disparities is in mental health treatments. Women spend 113% more than men on depression medications and 103% more on anxiety treatments. These discrepancies are likely due to both higher prescription fill rates and systemic factors, such as differences in how mental health conditions are diagnosed and treated between genders.
Tori Marsh, MPH, Director of Research at GoodRx, commented, “Though we typically think of the ‘pink tax’ as an upcharge on goods and services, these latest findings illustrate how the spending gap between men and women transcends grocery store shelves, with women paying a premium just to maintain their health.” She also emphasized that this financial inequality can force women to make difficult choices between their health and other essential recurring expenses, potentially leading to more severe health complications and further strain on the healthcare system.
GoodRx’s Response to the Gender Divide
To address this growing financial burden, GoodRx is taking steps to help women save money and access medications at more than 70,000 pharmacies nationwide. The company is focused on making essential medications more affordable for women, particularly those that are used to treat conditions disproportionately affecting them. For instance, GoodRx offers the following savings:
- Fertility Treatments: Discounts of up to 43% on fertility treatments, including savings on both brand-name and generic medications used in IVF.
- Menopause Hormone Therapies: Cash prices for menopause hormone therapies, ranging from $99 to $249.
- Birth Control: A seamless e-commerce option for purchasing Opill, the first over-the-counter daily birth control pill, and significant discounts on prescription birth control.
- Mental Health and Autoimmune Medications: Low cash prices for medications like Pristiq, Cytomel, and Synthroid, which are critical for many women.
- Heart Health Medications: More than 30 common heart health medications are available for under $30.
Dorothy Gemmell, Chief Commercial Officer at GoodRx, emphasized, “Affordable healthcare doesn’t just support better health and quality of life for women but has a positive ripple effect on our families, communities, and healthcare system.” By working with healthcare stakeholders, GoodRx aims to ensure women at all stages of life can access affordable, essential medications.
This research was presented at the 2025 SXSW conference during a GoodRx-moderated session titled “The Hidden Pink Tax Fueling High Healthcare Costs for Women,” which featured an all-women panel of participants from pharmacies, pharmaceutical companies, and telehealth platforms.
GoodRx continues to be a leader in helping consumers save on prescription costs, having saved over $85 billion for Americans since 2011. The company connects consumers, healthcare professionals, and pharmacies to reduce inefficiencies in the healthcare system and ensure that individuals can get the medications they need without undue financial hardship.
