The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 268 No 7190 p385-391
23 March 2002

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Diabetes patients cost double

Patients with type 2 diabetes cost the National Health Service twice the national average per person, according to data presented at the Diabetes UK conference last week. In addition, more than half the overall drug budget for these patients is accounted for by cardiovascular and lipid-lowering drugs. Diabetic complications are directly linked to a mean annual loss of earnings for patients of £14,000, and a direct personal expenditure for patients and their carers of over £500 per year.