AstraZeneca study highlights NHS impact of bipolar disorder

AstraZeneca has published a study which illustrates the heavy impact that NHS treatment for bipolar disorder sufferers has on public finances.

The research, conducted by Professor Allan Young of the University of British Columbia in association with the pharmaceuticals firm, showed that 60 per cent of the total cost of treating the disease is spent on funding hospital stays for patients.

This compares to only seven per cent on medicines and accounts for around 207 million pounds of taxpayers’ money each year, a figure which the report suggests could be reduced.

Professor Young stated that more effective deployment of the available treatment options could reduce the risk of relapses among patients, which in turn will eliminate the need for returns to hospital.

He added: “It is therefore possible that by optimising treatment and management strategies for bipolar disorder the overall cost to the NHS could be reduced.”

Last month, AstraZeneca allied with MRC Technology, the commercialisation company of the Medical Research Council, to share compound libraries in order to help develop a new wave of drugs.