The dramatic increase in chronic conditions, including noncommunicable diseases, mental disorders, and certain communicable diseases such as HIV/AIDS demands creative action. The WHO created this document to alert decision-makers throughout the world about these important changes in global health, and to present health care solutions for managing this rising burden.
A wave of new health care innovation and growing demand for health care, coupled with uncertain productivity improvements, could severely challenge efforts to control future health care costs. A committee of the National Research Council and the Institute of Medicine organized a conference to examine key health care trends and their impact on medical innovation. The conference addressed the following question: In an environment of renewed concern about rising health care costs, where can public policy stimulate or remove disincentives to the development, adoption and diffusion of high-value innovation in diagnostics, therapeutics, and devices?
