MD Edge, Internal Medicine reports GI, liver, and pancreatic diseases cost the U.S. health care system about $120B per year and account for approximately 250,000 annual deaths, according to a “conservative” estimate from a recent analysis.
These figures emphasize the need for more research funding in the area, along with additional clinical and public health initiatives, says lead author Anne F. Peery, MD, MSCR, assistant professor of medicine in the division of gastroenterology and hepatology, and colleagues.
“Reports detailing the burden of GI diseases are necessary for clinical research, decision making, and priority setting,” the investigators wrote in Gastroenterology. “Our aim was to describe health care use, expenditures, and research funding across GI, liver, and pancreatic diseases in the United States.”