In the News

Mental Illness Costly

Mental disorders are estimated to account for one sixth of annual health care costs in Switzerland. The report, published in the latest edition of the Swiss Medical Weekly journal, found that the country's bill for brain disorders is 15 billion CHF ($13.7 billion) a year - more than 2,000 CHF per person.

An estimated one fifth of the population is thought to be affected by a mental illness of some kind, said the study. Depression and bipolar disorder are the most expensive psychiatric conditions, taking a 30 per cent share of the overall neuropsychiatric expenses.