Burden of Friedreich’s Ataxia to the patients and healthcare systems in the United States and Canada

Burden of Friedreich’s Ataxia to the patients and healthcare systems in the United States and Canada. Polek Barbara, Andrews William T, Roach MT, Ehling Manfred, Salek Sam; Front. Pharmacol., 22 May 2013 | doi: 10.3389/fphar.2013.00066

Conclusion: The variety of healthcare measures addressing the broad range of symptoms of FRDA, and the increasing use of paid home care as disease progresses made total US healthcare costs of FRDA exceed the costs of US adults with two and more chronic conditions. Therefore, measures delaying disease progression will allow patients to maintain their independence longer and may reduce costs to the healthcare system. Novel measures to address dysarthria and to ensure access to them should be further investigated. The higher than average private funding ratio in Canada was due to the relatively high cost of the pharmacological treatment of FRDA.


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