New Study Estimates Annual Health-Related Costs from Foodborne Illness in U.S. is $152 Billion
A new study by a former U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) economist estimates that the total annual health-related costs of foodborne illness across the nation is $152 billion annually – four times that of earlier estimates calculated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
This total is based on an FDA cost-estimate approach: health-related costs are the sum of medical costs (physician services, pharmaceuticals, and hospital costs) and losses to quality of life (lost life expectancy, pain and suffering, and functional disability). It includes the costs of medical bills, lost wages and lost productivity. (Note: These are health-related costs only. An aggregate economic impact total that included losses to food manufacturers and distributors involved in recalls would be significantly higher.)
(more…)








