Impact
Economic Loss to Canada
An American study[i] by Reynolds et al. estimates the average annual lost productivity is $20,000 per person for those afflicted with ME/CFS.
Assuming the figures would be similar in Canada and assuming there
would be an equivalent loss of productivity for FMS, the combined loss
of productivity due to these illnesses in Canada would be more that 25 billion dollars annually.
In addition to the loss of
productivity, the federal and provincial governments experience a loss
of income tax on these billions of dollars annually and a loss of GST on that
amount due to ME/CFS and FMS.
Medical Cost
Many
patients are sent to several doctors before being diagnosed due to the
lack of education doctors receive on ME/CFS and FMS. A Canadian study[ii] and a multi-centre American study[iii]
assessed the annual direct medical cost for FMS to affected individuals
was approximately $2,275.00. Using these figures for both FMS and
ME/CFS, it suggests that additional billions of dollars is lost in direct
medical cost annually.
Simply from a financial standpoint, the urgent need to educate doctors about these illnesses is self-evident.
[i] Reynolds KJ, Vernon SD, Bouchery E, Reeves W C. The economic impact of chronic fatigue syndrome. Cost Effective Resource Allocation 2:4, 2004.
[ii]
White KP, Speechley M, Harth M, Osbye T. The London fibromyalgia
epidemiology study: direct health care costs of fibromyalgia syndrome
in London, Canada. Journal of Rheumatology 26(4):885-889, 1999.
[iii]
Wolfe F, Anderson J, Harkness D, et al. A prospective, longitudinal,
multicenter study of service utilization and costs in fibromyalgia. Arthritis Rheumatism 40:1560-1570, 1997.