Autism Costs Over £32 Billion Annually in UK, $60 Billion in US

According to research conducted in the United Kingdom and the United States, individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who require the highest needs cost £1.5 million per year in the UK and $2.4 million per year in the US.

In the UK, over 700,000 people suffer from autism, which is more than 1 in 100 people. The total costs for all of these patients exceeds £32 billion each year, and autism experts believe that's more than those treated for heart disease, stroke, and cancer combined.  The £32 billion takes into account treatment, lost earning, and care and support for those with the disorder.

Autism spectrum disorder is much more common in the U.S., with a prevalence of 1 in every 68 births. It's estimated that between 1 to 1.5 million Americans have the disorder, and it is the fastest growing developmental disability. The health care system records over $60 billion in costs per year for ASD. The Autism Society, headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, projects that autism will cost between $200-$400 billion in the next ten years.

"We need to use our resources earlier, identify people earlier and try to provide therapies and support that makes it easier to manage the condition," said lead researcher Professor Martin Knapp of the London School of Economics and Political Science, in this BBC News article. He also mentioned that the government needed to address the situation in order for it to improve.

The study, "Costs of Autism Spectrum Disorders in the United Kingdom and the United States," was published on Monday in the Journal of the American Medical Association Pediatrics. The study's objective was to estimate age-specific, direct, indirect, and lifetime societal economic costs of autism spectrum disorders because its economic effect "is poorly understood and has not been updates in light of recent findings."

When the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that the prevalence of ASD increased to 1 in every 68 births in the U.S., medical experts and organizations became concerned with that number, especially since because it was 1 in every 150 births back in 2002. Many believe that the number has increased simply because doctors are more cognizant of the disorder occurring earlier in one's life. Also, if ASD is detected early, it can significantly improve how one handles its symptoms into their adult years.