Medicines have helped to improve the quality of life of millions of patients and have extended the average lifespan significantly over the past years. People live much longer than they did a century ago. Experts estimate that half of that gain (10 to 20 years) is attributable to medicines.
For example, in 1890, 400 million people died as a result of the smallpox infection. Today, smallpox has been eradicated thanks to vaccinations.
Surgeons performed procedures without anaesthesia in 1850. Currently, surgical procedures are completely painless.
In 1940, only 1 in 2 people suffering a lung infection survived. Today, 9 out of 10 survive.
But, many severe diseases remain without an effective treatment or cure. That’s why we take research and development so seriously.
