That translates to 66% of the population, most of whom belong to the elderly and those who have chronic illnesses. Most adults have one of 5 common chronic conditions that require the use of prescription drugs – these are heart disease, diabetes, cancer, arthritis, and hypertension. Prescription drugs need to be refilled often, so it’s no surprise that the global pharmaceutical industry was worth a staggering 1.42 trillion dollars in 2021.