Rising population cost for treating people living with HIV in the UK, 1997-2013

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Economics
• HIV/AIDS Research

Background:

• The number of people living with HIV (PLHIV) in the UK is increasing.
• This necessitates an understanding of the associated healthcare costs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To estimate the annual population cost of HIV services in the UK from 1997 to 2006.
• To project these costs from 2007 to 2013.

Main Methods:

• Calculated annual HIV treatment costs per person based on HIV stage and antiretroviral therapy (ART) type.
• Derived population costs by multiplying the number of PLHIV by their annual treatment costs.
• Projected costs based on anticipated increases in the PLHIV population.

Main Results:

• Annual population costs for HIV services in the UK rose from £104 million in 1997 to £483 million in 2006.
• Costs were projected to reach £721-£758 million by 2013, excluding community care.
• Including community care, total costs increased from £164 million (1997) to £683 million (2006), projected to exceed £1 billion by 2013.

Conclusions:

• Rising HIV population costs in the UK are driven by an increasing PLHIV population accessing NHS services.
• Longer survival on ART and challenges in HIV prevention contribute to escalating costs.
• Cost-effective treatment strategies and improved prevention programs are crucial, especially for lower-income nations facing greater resource constraints.