ME costs Government billions
So-called ‘chronic fatigue syndrome’ costs the UK economy 3.5 billion pounds a year, according to a report by the charity Action for ME.
240,000 people in the UK are thought to have the debilitating condition ME (myalgic encephalomyelitis), which causes exhaustion, muscle pain and memory and concentration problems.
It is estimated 15,000 pounds is lost by every sufferer of the syndrome, mainly by cutting into potential income.
Through lost taxation, health costs and benefit payouts, the Treasury is thought to deal out £2.2 billion, according to figures from the Sheffield University, in conjunction with Action ME.
Sufferers were once labeled hypochondriacs and told to heal themselves personally, but there is a growing recognition that more must be done to tackle this serious illness.
Indeed, the Government has recognised this and is consulting on the issue.
Chris Clark, of Action for ME, said: ‘£3.5 billion is a huge amount of money and if the Government invested even 1per cent of that cost into research it would undoubtedly be money well spent. It is only by developing a better understanding of this illness and finding more effective treatments that we will put an end to the needless waste of lives and money.’
