Roche forum highlights health care investment as driver of economic growth

BASEL, Switzerland (AA) - Investing in health care innovation can drive economic growth, boost productivity and strengthen national resilience, executives and researchers said at Roche’s 2026 Media Dialogue, emphasizing the need to expand access to innovative treatments and rethink health spending as a long-term investment rather than a cost.

The event, held at the Swiss pharmaceutical company's headquarters in Basel, brought together Michael Oberreiter, head of global external affairs at Roche International, Dennis Ostwald, CEO of the WiFOR Institute, and Jorg Rupp, head of pharmaceuticals for Roche's international regions.

Oberreiter said health should be recognized as a key driver of economic growth and national security, warning that the rising burden of noncommunicable diseases threatens to place further strain on health systems and economies worldwide.

He cited research suggesting that pharmaceutical innovation accounted for an average of 40% of gains in global life expectancy between 1984 and 2000.

Improvements in global health have also been linked to roughly one-third of economic growth in advanced economies over the past century, he said.

Oberreiter pointed to estimates suggesting that investments in preventive care and medical innovation could save 60 million lives by 2040.

"Health care innovation is not a cost to society but an investment that drives meaningful transformation and delivers substantial socioeconomic returns," he said.

- Health care as economic infrastructure

Ostwald said the health sector, traditionally viewed as a financial burden, has increasingly become a driver of economic growth and innovation.

He highlighted research examining the economic consequences of migraine in Germany, where an estimated 15.5 million adults suffered from the condition in 2017.

According to the findings, migraines accounted for approximately 836 million headache days annually, resulting in 547 million hours of lost paid labor.

The combined economic impact of lost paid and unpaid time was estimated at nearly 100 billion euros ($116 billion) a year, equivalent to approximately 3% of Germany's gross domestic product in 2017.

"Health is not a cost center. It is essential infrastructure," Ostwald said, calling for greater emphasis on prevention and early intervention.

He argued that addressing health risks early is less costly than treating diseases at advanced stages and urged governments to integrate health considerations into economic, labor and fiscal policy.

“High-value innovations should be adopted to strengthen the resilience of health systems, while investments should be monitored and their impact measured,” said Ostwald.

- Aging populations add pressure on health systems

Rupp said scientific advances have helped people live longer but have also transformed health care needs, particularly as populations age and chronic diseases become more widespread.

An estimated 3 billion people worldwide live with chronic conditions, Rupp said and added:

“We need healthy, productive populations to sustain the economic growth required to fund the health care systems of the future. Yet two-thirds of diseases remain inadequately treated or go untreated altogether. Half the world's population lacks adequate access to essential health services, and health inequalities continue to widen. The global population aged 65 and older is projected to triple by 2050, placing even greater strain on health care systems.”

Rupp argued that investing in medical innovation could help governments address those challenges while supporting future economic growth.

He cited estimates suggesting that every dollar invested in preventing noncommunicable diseases could generate $7 in economic returns.

Greater investment in health innovation could also save 60 million lives by 2040 and contribute $12 trillion to global GDP, he said.

"A stable country needs a strong foundation, and that foundation begins with a healthy and resilient population. This enables people to remain in the workforce longer, increases labor force participation and boosts productivity,” he added.

Furkan Gençoğlu