New research shows that hospital stays are the main cost of bipolar disorder to UK's NHS, accounting for 60% vs 7% for drugs

In the UK, hospital stays for people with bipolar disorder cost taxpayers £207 million ($324.2 million) a year, according to the research sponsored by AstraZeneca presented yesterday. The National Health Service spends just 7% (£25 million) of the total costs for bipolar disorder on medicines versus 60% on hospital admissions. The findings of the research are important as the NHS has been told to identify £15-20 billion of cost savings by the end of the 2013-14 financial year.

The research was led by Allan Young in collaboration with AstraZeneca. Prof Young, formerly of Newcastle University and currently of the University of British Columbia, said of the research: "The main reason for hospitalizations in bipolar disorder is relapses suffered by patients in which they experience extreme mood changes. There is evidence to suggest that a range of available treatments for bipolar disorder are able to reduce the risk of patients

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