Abstract

Headlines from late-breaking sessions at scientific conferences herald exciting advances in medicine. Yet, what is often whispered between physicians, and more obvious to market access specialists and health technology assessors, are the relatively small health gains associated with most new medical treatments. This is not a fault of innovation—advances in nutrition, sanitation, and improved socioeconomic conditions have already created a high bar for life expectancy in developed countries.¹ Similarly, we have already benefited from advances in medicine introduced decades ago—vaccines and antibiotics—curing and eradicating prematurely fatal conditions that have long plagued humanity.