New PwC analysis: the £188bn cost of respiratory conditions and the economic potential of research

Investment into lung research is urgently needed to save and change lives. These life-limiting conditions are the third biggest killer in the UK and outcomes for conditions such as asthma and COPD are considerably worse in areas of high deprivation. But Asthma + Lung UK (A+LUK) can now reveal the huge financial cost of lung conditions to the UK economy.

 

Investing in Breath: the findings:

 

A+LUK's new report, Investing in breath, written with PwC and published on the 11th September 2023, shows how increased investment in lung research has the potential to drive growth, create jobs, and reduce the burden of ill health at a time when we need to support UK economic growth and keep the NHS fit for the future.

 

There is a huge economic case for investing in respiratory research. These studies have calculated that in 2019 respiratory conditions cost the UK economy £188 billion. This huge figure can be broken down into:

 

• £9.6bn direct costs to the NHS

• £4.2bn indirect costs associated with lost productivity

• £174.4bn wider societal costs (i.e. the human cost of excess morbidity and mortality)

 

Despite this enormous burden, respiratory research has not been prioritised and receives only 2% of public investment. Asthma + Lung UK is calling on government to triple investment into respiratory research from £47 million to £141 million per year over the next five years.

 

Increasing respiratory research funding would enable game-changing research programmes but the benefits go far beyond health. Breakthroughs in diagnosis, prevention and care could reduce direct costs to the NHS and support growth and productivity. Overall, this new analysis suggests that increasing investment into respiratory research to £141 million per year could contribute £851 million to the economy by 2030.

 

In addition, tripling public investment into lung research would attract almost the same again in private and overseas investment into the UK life sciences sector, around £700 million over the next 7 years, supporting the government’s vision of transforming the UK into a Life Sciences Superpower.

 

What’s next?

 

Asthma + Lung UK have identified significant opportunities to create new cross-sector collaborations but doing so demands government to make a commitment to lung disease, especially in light of the respiratory mission that was promised as part of the Life Sciences Vision but has yet to make any progress. In this important year in the lead up to the general election, A+LUK will be lobbying government ministers, funders, researchers and innovators to encourage them to take urgent action to accelerate research and innovation into lung conditions.