Socioeconomic costs of rheumatic diseases - Implications for technology assessment

Objectives: To study the socioeconomic impact of rheumatic illness in Swede n and to discuss the consequences for technology assessment studies. Methods: A cost-of-illness study based on data from official statistics and treatment studies. Results: The total socioeconomic cost was 52 billion Swedish kronor (SEK) i n 1994. The imbalance between direct (10% of total) and indirect costs (90e ffectiveness of the healthcare sector, the need for new treatment methods, appropriate information systems, and technology assessment studies as well as the institutional arrangements for rehabilitation and basic medical rese arch. Conclusions: A discussion of solutions for financial cooperation between co unty councils and regional social insurance offices should be considered. T he new biotechnological pharmaceuticals will increase the cost for drugs in health care about 20 times, but the total socioeconomic cost for society m ay remain at the same level due to a decrease of inpatient costs and indire ct costs for loss of production as well as a decrease of transfer payments from social insurance. It is unavoidable that the new pharmaceuticals requi re priority discussions and active resource allocation in health care and i n other sectors of society.