The cost of prescription medicine is an area of big public concern in the US. 8 in 10 adults say the cost of prescription drugs is unreasonable, and 1 in 4 say that it is difficult to afford the cost of their prescriptions. Read more about what Americans think about drugs and their prices here.

For patients whose costs are too high, patient assistance programs- usually sponsored by the pharmaceutical companies making each drug- can provide financial assistance for those who don't have insurance or are underinsured. Taking generic drugs can also be an option to reduce costs. Generics are only available after a brand-name drug's patent and market exclusivity expire. They have the same active ingredient but can be much lower in cost (sometimes 85% less) because they introduce price competition.

Another resource for patients in need are prescription drug donation and reuse programs, usually called drug repository programs. Places like hospitals, pharmacies, and long-term care facilities have billions of dollars of extra, unused medicine every year that goes to waste. SIRUM is a nonprofit that helps organizations and even individuals donate their unused medicine to repository programs, and has become the nation's largest redistributor of surplus medicine.