Cures for problems you didn't even know you had. Sometimes, the great pharmaceuticals manufacture the disease just so they can tell the pill. In the 1800's there were snake oil salesmen. In the 21st Century there are drug manufacturers. And the price has gone up.
Advertising is verrrrry expensive.
Drug companies are spending millions on advertising drugs that only a doctor can prescribe. Insurance will cover it. It's gotta be a conspiracy between the insurance companies and the drug companies. And, possibly, government agencies. The excuse for the high cost of prescription drugs is that the research and development costs are huge.