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CPI-U · U.S. city average · BLS item SEMF01

Prescription drugs

Prices for prescription drugs fell 2.9% in the 12 months to August 2026, and fell 0.0% in the month.

12 months−2.9%to August 2026, unadjusted
1 month−0.0%seasonally adjusted
3 months, annualised−3.5%seasonally adjusted
Index550.41982–84 = 100

12-month change

% change from a year earlier

-2%0%2%5%2017201820192020202120222023202420252026

Price index

1982–84 = 100, not seasonally adjusted

5205405602017201820192020202120222023202420252026

Month by month

The last two years

MonthIndex1 month12 months
August 2026550.4−0.0%−2.9%
July 2026550.6−0.8%−3.1%
June 2026554.9−0.1%−2.5%
May 2026555.3−0.9%−2.0%
April 2026560.3+0.0%−0.5%
March 2026560.2−1.5%−0.2%
February 2026568.7−0.2%−0.7%
January 2026569.6−0.0%−0.5%
December 2025569.7+0.1%+2.0%
November 2025568.9—+1.9%
September 2025569.0+0.3%+1.7%
August 2025567.1−0.2%+0.9%
July 2025568.0−0.2%+0.9%
June 2025569.1+0.4%+1.2%
May 2025566.7+0.6%+0.8%
April 2025563.3+0.4%+2.3%
March 2025561.2−2.0%+2.1%
February 2025572.7+0.0%+4.6%
January 2025572.7+2.5%+4.5%
December 2024558.7+0.0%+1.1%
November 2024558.5−0.4%+0.7%
October 2024560.8+0.2%+1.6%
September 2024559.5−0.5%+2.2%
August 2024562.2−0.2%+2.0%
July 2024563.0+0.1%+2.5%

Alongside it

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CPI for All Urban Consumers, U.S. city average (series CUUR0000SEMF01 and CUSR0000SEMF01). BLS did not collect October 2025 prices, so changes spanning that month are blank. Shown for context: consumer prices do not feed CycleWatch's recession model.