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ANALYSIS OF THE economic burden of cancer across the European Union shows that the disease cost the 27 nations €126 billion in just one year.
Using data from 2009, the most recent year for which there was comprehensive information, researchers found the healthcare costs were the equivalent of €102 per citizen.
But there was a wide variance across different countries. In Bulgaria, the spend was just €16 per person, while in Luxembourg it was €184 per person.
The study, published today in the Lancet Oncology journal, also divided the disease into categories. At €18.8 billion, lung cancer had the highest economic cost. It was followed closely by breast cancer at €15 billion and colorectal cancer at €13.1 billion. Prostate cancer accounted for €8.43 million, or 7 per cent, of the spend.
In 2008, 2.45 million people were diagnosed with cancer. In the same year, across the 27 countries, 1.23 million died.
The comprehensive cost analysis looked at expenditure on care in the primary, outpatient, emergency and inpatient settings, as well as drugs.
The authors – from the Health Economics Research Centre, at the Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, UK, and from King’s College London, Institute of Cancer Policy and KHP Cancer Centre UK - also estimated the costs of unpaid care provided by friends and relatives, lost earnings from premature death and costs associated with those who left employment because of illness.
Productivity losses because of early death cost €42.6 billion and lost working days €9.43 billion. Altogether, friends and family of people with cancer were estimated to have provided 3 billion hours of unpaid care, valued at €23.2 billion, to patients.
Of the total figure of €126 billion, €51 billion was incurred by health systems with the rest falling on patients’ families, friends and society overall.
Despite the enormous figures, researchers warned that the estimates are “conservative” as they do not include some categories of healthcare costs such as screening programmes. These were not included as data could not be obtained for all countries being studied.
The authors of the study believe the analysis will be useful for policymakers so they can better allocate research funds and to deliver cancer services in a way that provides good value for money.
The same researchers – Dr Ramon Luengo-Fernandez, Jose Leal, Professor Alastair Gray and Professor Richard Sullivan – previously estimated the cost of cardiovascular disease on the EU and found the economic burden to be €195 billion.
However, the cost of productivity losses due to premature death was nearly twice as high for cancer as that for cardiovascular disease (€43 billion compared to €27 billion), reflecting the higher number of cancer-related deaths in people of working age.
“It is vital that decision-makers across Europe use this information to identify and prioritise key areas,” said Professor Sullivan from King’s College London.
More effective targeting of investment may prevent health care systems from reaching breaking point – a real danger given the increasing burden of cancer – and in some countries better allocation of funding could even improve survival rates.
The wide differences between countries, in terms of their spends on cancer, now require further investigation, say the researchers.
The data was collated from international health organisations (WHO and EUROSTAT), as well as national ministries of health and statistical institutes to estimate the total cost of cancer across the EU in 2009, the most recent year for which comprehensive data were available. The study was funded by Pfizer.
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SF will never say such actions are not justified. They still claim the Birmingham bombings were legitimate targets and it was a result of the phones were not working which led to innocent people being murdered. When dealing with a group of people ie SF, who quite clearly have an across the board low level of intelligence and education (there is the odd clever one), coupled with their lack of moral threshold, it is always going to be difficult to move forward.
@Nick Allen: what makes you think this was the work of republicans?
@Nick Allen: Clearly you have a low level of intelligence as the Waterside area is THE loyalist area of Derry city and it’d be more likely to see a polar bear than a Shinner there
@Nick Allen: nick as a Derry man I can tell you that these pipe bombs were found in a staunchly loyalist area of Derry,but don’t let the facts get in the way of your agenda
@Paul Devlin:
I️ didn’t suggest it was SF. The article said it needs people from across the community to say it is and always was unjustified. SF is definitely a stakeholder in the community and I️ was simply highlighting that they will never say that.
@Nick Allen: what are you on about? A big long post of rubbish. Check the facts first maybe.
@Ross Taylor:
Ross, I️ think it maybe you lacking the grey cells. Try reading the article again and then my comment. Then please come back and highlight where I️ said it was SF and how my comment does not specifically reference a point made in the article
@Martin Doherty:
No agenda, just stating the facts. As I said to the other posters who don’t manage to read the article or my comment correctly, please show me where I️ said this was SF
@Harry morriarty:
Again another person not able to assimilate simple information. Try reading the article and my response again
@Martin Doherty:
Nick is a member of the Fine Gael multiple account ghoul squad on here. The ones that like to haunt the comments section to fabricate as much nonsense as possible. They get particularly aroused and hard when they find SF articles.
@Tweed Cap:
The article is not about SF and if you care to read it and if you knew anything about the history you would probably understand that it is not suggesting it was SF. What other name do I use? Any proof of that or is it just more of the BS you make up on here on a regular basis?
@Nick Allen: Well, that’s a retreat quicker than diarrhea. I’ve read, and re-read your original post. It mentions SF only. Nothing about loyalists. So it’s 100% that your intention was to lay the blame at SFs door.
@Nick Allen:
Pull the other one Nicky. It has Christmas bells on it.
@Father Hody Commody:
Its not a retreat. I simply posted that SF will never say that the means were not justified which is in relation to the specific point in the article which says “We need to hear a united message from across the community that such actions have never been justified and they will never be successful.”
How come simple English is so challenging for some people to understand
@Nick Allen: “The article is not about SF…” then why mention them?
@Tweed Cap:
Can you actually point out any inaccuracies in what I am saying or show where I am not making a comment in relation something in the article. Other than posting unfounded accusations can you come up with any type of comment that has any level of intelligence or debate or is that completely beyond you?
@Nick Allen: go to bed! Your embarrassing yourself!
@TonySuperSaints:
Did you read the comments or the actual article. Maybe try doing that before posting
@Nick Allen: Did you read the article? Or maybe there is more than one Nick Allen posting because you are the one who said “The article is not about SF…” I asked then, why mention them?
@TonySuperSaints:
If you read the comments as suggested you would have discovers why but I️ will explain it again for you. Towards the end of the article it calls for all members of the community to say that it is and always has been an unjustified action. I️ am sure you will agree that SF are a very important group which is a member of the community. I️ am highlighting that SF will never say that this type of action is and always was unjustified. I️ backed this statement up with the story about the Birmingham bombings as SF still claim the pubs were legitimate targets. So although the article is not about SF it does reference them as a part of the community. I️ trust that clears it up for you.
@Nick Allen: mighty straw clutching there.
@Nick Allen:
“SF will never say such actions are not justified.” (Nick Allen)
“Can you actually point out any inaccuracies in what I am saying” (Nick Allen)
@Nick Allen:
I can post up a list as long as your arm of SF condemning dissident attacks (assuming that’s what you meant when you referred to “such actions”). But if its the specific phrase “not justified” you want then…
@Nick Allen:
‘Sinn Fein South Down MLA, Caitriona Ruane, said those responsible were “attempting to carry out an unjustified campaign of violence”.’
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-10902438
‘In a statement on Tuesday, Sinn Féin said it believed his killing was “wrong and unjustifiable”‘
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-37352016
@Nick Allen:
‘There is no justification for dissidents’ activities of these gangs says Sinn Féin’
http://www.irishnews.com/news/2014/10/30/news/there-is-no-justification-for-dissidents-activities-of-these-gangs-says-sinn-fe-in-106649/
Shall I keep going?
@Nick Allen:
http://irishecho.com/2011/04/sinn-feins-sheehan-condemns-dissident-violence/
“Unfortunately there are others out there who will continue to justify the use of force – they can’t justify it,” (Pat Sheehan speech condemning dissident groups)
@Nick Allen:
http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/crime/grow-up-sinn-fein-man-tells-dissidents-1-7326556
‘There is no justification for these actions’ (Oliver McMullan, SF)
@Nick Allen:
http://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/adams-condemns-dissidents-over-bomb-500607.html?utm_source=link&utm_medium=click&utm_campaign=nextandprev
‘There is no excuse, justification or explanation’ (Gerry Adams)
@Nick Allen:
https://www.irishnews.com/news/2017/10/31/news/new-dissident-group-claims-it-left-device-in-west-belfast-1175546/
‘Sinn Féin MLA Órlaithí Flynn last night condemned those responsible for the alert. “They have no regard whatsoever for the local community,” she said. “There can be no justification for this type of activity and I would appeal to anyone with information to contact the police.”’
@Nick Allen:
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/jan/13/belfast-couple-shot-in-legs-while-protecting-son-paramilitaries
‘Sinn Féin’s west Belfast assembly member, Pat Sheehan, condemned the shooting…”whatever the motivation for this shooting, there is absolutely no justification for it,”’
Vile “republican” terrorists unfortunately remain a permanent feature of this country
@For Connolly: the area this happened in is actually a very Protestant area which leads to belief that this is a loyalist story not a republican story. Please stop being “wee todded”.
@For Connolly: As do loyalists and an Irish government that will do as much as it can to return the North to the state it was in 25 years ago.
@For Connolly: you would wonder why the Labour party made them a senator and introduced them into Irish parliament?
B€€€ards should be publicly hung if caught, send out a warning to any other fools that think they are “hard men”
Slightly off the point but is ‘commuuunity’ or ‘davastaytan’ the only f’in words northies know? Never met 1 that did not either of these words in any conversation
@John Barnes: just like ” stooreee bud”is the only thing dub’s say or” top o the morning ” for all Irish people.
@Leadóg: never heard an Irish person say top o the morning
@John Barnes: “sityaation ” …
@Ryan: the sityaation hare in thas cammuunaty is devastaytan
Very sad
Thanks monoculturalism
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