Life expectancy at birth has steadily increased around the world, with a significant 73% of this rise attributed to the introduction of new medications.
New Drugs Play Crucial Role
This is reported by El Economista according to the report "Value of Medication from a Social Perspective 2024," produced by Fundación Weber and Farmaindustria.
This finding is supported by a study conducted by Lichtenberg, which analyzed the impact of pharmaceutical innovations on life expectancy in 26 countries.
Between 2006 and 2016, it was noted that new drugs played a crucial role in enhancing life expectancy.
The past decade has seen the launch of 115 new cancer treatments, with 96% of the survival rate improvements in cancer patients linked to these therapies, according to Jesús Ponce, the president of Farmaindustria.
COVID-19 pandemic Caused Lower Life Expectancy
Globally, life expectancy increased from 51 years in 1960 to 71 years in 2021 — a 40% rise. However, the COVID-19 pandemic caused an excess of 14.9 million deaths globally in 2020 and 2021, temporarily lowering life expectancy during those years.
In the United States, life expectancy has shown an overall increase, with the latest figures suggesting it has risen to around 79 years in 2021. However, the U.S. no longer ranks among the top countries for life expectancy, trailing behind nations like Japan, Switzerland, and Singapore, which have consistently higher averages.
The report also highlights persistent gender disparities in life expectancy in the United States. Women in the U.S. have an average life expectancy of about 81 years, compared to approximately 76 years for men.
