OBJECTIVES: Multiple sclerosis (MS) presents at a relatively young age and incidence among women is double as high as among men. There is no cure for the progressive forms of MS but Disease Modifying Treatment (DMT) might slow progression in the relapsing forms. This study aims to analyze the costs of MS in Denmark in 2014.

METHODS: The unique Danish registers allow us to include all individuals with MS in Denmark. In 2014, all individuals with MS (N=14,786, period prevalence) were ascertained and characterized by treatment from the Danish health and social registers and matched with controls by age and gender. Attributable costs of MS in 2014 were analyzed by comparing the healthcare, nursing and productivity loss costs between the cohorts.

RESULTS: The estimated attributable costs of MS in 2014 in Denmark were 3.2 billion DKK (1 Euro=7.45 DKK). Expressed as attributable costs per person-year with MS healthcare costs were 84,786 DKK (hereof pharmaceuticals 2,740 DKK, primary care 10,715 DKK and secondary care 71,331 DKK). Nursing care accounted for 59,345 DKK and productivity loss due to unemployment and early retirement 72,460 DKK. On average, women had 15% lower total attributable costs than men. The number of patients in DMT have increased rapidly over time and in 2014 constituted 52% of the MS population. Total attributable costs for patients in DMT were 233,965 DKK per person-year compared to 214,275 DKK for patients not in DMT.

CONCLUSIONS: MS has a major impact on societal costs. MS-patients in DMT have 5.3 times higher secondary care costs due to medication in an outpatient setting, while MS-patients not in DMT are on average older and have about 4.5 times higher nursing costs.