expensive drugs

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "expensive drugs" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing the cost of pharmaceuticals or medications that are high-priced. Example: "The rising costs of healthcare have made it increasingly difficult for patients to afford expensive drugs."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

More expensive drugs increase profitability.

The Economist

Expensive drugs protected by patent are replaced by cheap generics.

The Economist

"The expensive drugs are third- and fourth-line drugs.

The New York Times - Health

Beauregard has to inject herself daily with some very expensive drugs.

The Guardian - Business

People demand the finest doctors, state-of-the-art technology and expensive drugs, no strings attached.

The New York Times

No public health system and almost no employers pay for protease inhibitors or other expensive drugs.

The New York Times

Lobbyists also prevented identical but less expensive drugs from Canada and other countries from coming here.

The New York Times

Today, however, the government won praise for its efforts to provide expensive drugs free.

The New York Times

Expensive drugs for severe cases of cancer and AIDS have been among the targets.

The New York Times

It's not only that doctors who use samples prescribe newer, more expensive drugs.

The New York Times

There is also less money to fund modern and more expensive drugs and health technologies.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing healthcare policy or economics, use "expensive drugs" to highlight the financial burden on patients and healthcare systems. For example, "The debate over healthcare reform often centers on the accessibility of "expensive drugs"".

Common error

Avoid assuming that all "expensive drugs" are inherently superior or more effective than their less costly counterparts. Efficacy and cost are separate factors to consider.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "expensive drugs" functions primarily as a noun phrase, where "expensive" modifies the noun "drugs". Ludwig shows it's used to describe pharmaceuticals with high costs. The aiResponseStatus confirms its correctness and usability.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

36%

Science

35%

Formal & Business

15%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "expensive drugs" is a common and grammatically sound way to refer to pharmaceuticals with high costs. Ludwig AI indicates that this phrase is correct and usable in written English. It is frequently used in contexts such as news, science, and formal discussions to highlight the financial burden associated with specific medications. While alternative phrases like "high-cost medications" or "pricey pharmaceuticals" exist, the core meaning remains consistent: emphasizing the economic aspect of these drugs. Remember to avoid overgeneralizing the impact and consider that cost and efficacy are different factors when discussing "expensive drugs".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

high-cost medications

Emphasizes the high cost aspect of the medications.

pricey pharmaceuticals

Uses a more informal term ("pricey") for expensive and a more formal term ("pharmaceuticals") for drugs.

costly medicines

Replaces "drugs" with "medicines" and "expensive" with "costly", maintaining the core meaning.

unaffordable medications

Focuses on the affordability issue, suggesting the drugs are beyond the reach of many.

high-priced pharmaceuticals

A more formal and direct synonym for "expensive drugs".

premium medications

Implies a higher quality or more advanced medication that justifies the higher price.

branded drugs

Highlights drugs protected by patents or marketed under a specific brand name, often associated with higher prices.

innovator drugs

Focuses on the innovative aspect of the drugs, often associated with high development costs and prices.

patent-protected drugs

Emphasizes the patent protection aspect, which allows manufacturers to charge higher prices.

specialty medications

Indicates medications requiring special handling or monitoring, often associated with higher costs.

FAQs

What does "expensive drugs" mean in healthcare?

In healthcare, "expensive drugs" refers to pharmaceuticals with high prices, often impacting patient access and healthcare costs. These drugs may be novel treatments, biologics, or medications for rare diseases.

What are some alternatives to "expensive drugs"?

Alternatives to "expensive drugs" include "high-cost medications", "pricey pharmaceuticals", and "costly medicines", each emphasizing the financial aspect of the medications.

Why are some drugs "expensive drugs"?

Drugs can be "expensive drugs" due to factors like research and development costs, patent protection, manufacturing complexity, and market demand. Medications for rare diseases also tend to be more expensive.

How does the cost of "expensive drugs" affect healthcare systems?

The cost of "expensive drugs" can strain healthcare budgets, potentially limiting access to other treatments or increasing insurance premiums. It raises ethical questions about resource allocation and patient equity.