The Impact of Alzheimer's Disease on the Chinese Economy

• Prevalence of AD in China may quadruple by 2050 bringing with it a macroeconomic burden equivalent to China's GDP from 2012.
• Conservative estimates of the annual burden of AD on the Chinese economy exceed US$1 trillion (2011-prices).
• Investment in development of effective treatment and prevention interventions to mitigate the burden of disease of AD is justified.Alzheimer's Disease primarily affects the elderly and, since no effective treatments exist to halt or slow disease progression, predicted increases in longevity over the coming decades may result in significant disease and care-related burdens on China's population and economy. Whilst most previous studies of Alzheimer's Disease focus on health sector costs, this comprehensive assessment captures both health and whole-economy impacts, and highlights the benefits of investment in effective interventions, without which Alzheimer's Disease prevalence in China may quadruple by 2050, and related costs may accumulate to equate China's 2012 GDP, and grow to exceed US$1 trillion per year in real terms.

BackgroundRecent increases in life expectancy may greatly expand future Alzheimer's Disease (AD) burdens. China's demographic profile, aging workforce and predicted increasing burden of AD-related care make its economy vulnerable to AD impacts. Previous economic estimates of AD predominantly focus on health system burdens and omit wider whole-economy effects, potentially underestimating the full economic benefit of effective treatment.MethodsAD-related prevalence, morbidity and mortality for 2011–2050 were simulated and were, together with associated caregiver time and costs, imposed on a dynamic Computable General Equilibrium model of the Chinese economy. Both economic and non-economic outcomes were analyzed.FindingsSimulated Chinese AD prevalence quadrupled during 2011–50 from 6–28 million. The cumulative discounted value of eliminating AD equates to China's 2012 GDP (US$8 trillion), and the annual predicted real value approaches US AD cost-of-illness (COI) estimates, exceeding US$1 trillion by 2050 (2011-prices). Lost labor contributes 62% of macroeconomic impacts. Only 10% derives from informal care, challenging previous COI-estimates of 56%.InterpretationHealth and macroeconomic models predict an unfolding 2011–2050 Chinese AD epidemic with serious macroeconomic consequences. Significant investment in research and development (medical and non-medical) is warranted and international researchers and national authorities should therefore target development of effective AD treatment and prevention strategies.