RISING COSTS: According to the first evaluation of the socioeconomic impact of osteoarthritis in France conducted in 1993, the estimated annual cost was slightly less than one billion euros. In 2003, the annual cost was approximately 1.8 billion euros. Overall costs for osteoarthritis have thus increased by more than 80%, i.e. 8% per year. COST OF OFFICE VISITS: In 2002, 13.4 million office visits for osteoarthritis yielded an overall cost of 270 million euros and led to 17 million drug prescriptions (1.5 per consultation) yielding an overall cost of 574 million euros. HOSPITAL COSTS: With 127,000 acute-care admissions, 175,000 hospital days for day care and/or rehabilitation, and implantation of 118,000 hip or knee prostheses, the overall hospital cost came to 820 million euros in 2002. INDIRECT COSTS: Five million days of sick leave in 2002, in 88% of the cases for peripheral osteoarthritis, led to 180 million euros in indemnities.