The claim
“The United States currently has the lowest prescription drug prices in the world.”
Donald Trump made the claim on 8 October 2026, according to a transcript of his closing remarks at the Republican National Convention in Dallas.
Our verdict
False
The claim is false. Multiple independent and government analyses show that Americans pay far more for prescription drugs than people in other wealthy countries, not the least.
What we found
We found no evidence that the United States has the lowest prescription drug prices in the world. In fact, the evidence points the other way. A RAND Corporation analysis found that U.S. prescription drug prices are significantly higher than those in other high-income countries, and a peer-reviewed study using 2022 data reached the same conclusion. Official figures from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services show that U.S. drug prices exceed those of comparison countries, and a report from the House Committee on Ways and Means found that Americans pay higher prices than many other countries. The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation at HHS also found that the U.S. accounts for a much larger share of pharmaceutical revenues across OECD countries, which points to higher costs rather than the lowest. KFF data show that the U.S. spends more per person on prescription drugs than peer nations. Taken together, these sources agree: U.S. prices are among the highest, not the lowest.
The evidence
6 of 6 sources contradict the claim; none support it.
- Contradicts the claim
A RAND Corporation analysis found that U.S. prescription drug prices are significantly higher than those in other high-income countries.
rand.org· Comparing International Prescription Drug PricesFebruary 1, 2024
- Contradicts the claim
A peer-reviewed study using 2022 data confirmed that U.S. drug prices are higher than international benchmarks.
pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov· International Prescription Drug Price Comparisons: Estimates Using 2022 Data - PMCFebruary 1, 2024
- Contradicts the claim
An official U.S. Department of Health & Human Services report documented that U.S. drug prices exceed those of comparison countries.
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services· International Price ComparisonsFebruary 1, 2024
- Contradicts the claim
A House Committee on Ways and Means report found that the United States pays higher prescription drug prices than many other countries.
House Committee on Ways and Means· U.S. vs. International Prescription Drug PricesSeptember 1, 2019
- Contradicts the claim
KFF data show the U.S. has higher per-person spending on prescription drugs than peer nations.
kff.org· How Do Prescription Drug Costs in the United States Compare to Other Countries? | KFFFebruary 8, 2022
- Contradicts the claim
The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation at HHS found the U.S. accounts for a much larger share of pharmaceutical revenues across OECD countries, implying higher costs rather than the lowest.
aspe.hhs.gov· Measuring the Pull-Side Innovation Burden for Pharmaceutical Drugs by OECD CountryJune 23, 2026
What we could not confirm
- The evidence mainly compares the U.S. with OECD or high-income countries, so we cannot rule out that some lower-income country has higher prices for certain drugs.
- Some sources rely on data from 2022 to 2024 and may not capture the most recent year-to-year changes, though the overall pattern of higher U.S. prices is consistent.
How we checked
We looked at government reports, independent research organisations and peer-reviewed studies that compare prescription drug prices and spending between the United States and other countries. We reviewed 8 relevant sources.
Have evidence we missed?
If you know of a source that confirms or contradicts this claim, send us the link. We review every submission and update fact checks when new evidence changes the picture.
Measured Take updates fact checks when new evidence emerges. Corrections are noted on the page.
All fact checks