Medicine's Impact on Health and Longevity

Value of Medicine

Medicine is referred to the clinical substance which is prepared to treat diseases so that health problems can be alleviated and improved well-being, as well as healthy living, can be ensured for the individuals. In this presentation, the value of medicine is to be discussed to inform regarding the way it has become an essential part of health treatment. For those working on related topics, healthcare dissertation help can provide valuable insights and support to better understand and communicate the significance of medicine in modern healthcare.

The invention of medication for different types of deadly as well as communicable disease has been able to eradicate as well as improve treatment for individuals. This is evident as prescribed medications are found to help people avoid disability and death usually caused by diseases (Venables et al. 2016). For instance, after the invention of medicine death related to heart diseases have dropped by 70% and stroke by 70% since 1970 to at the present. In addition, since 1990 a drop of 16% death related to cancer is seen (efpia.eu, 2019). As per reports, use of medication has cured nearly 15 million people in Europe who are suffering from Hepatitis C which was previously considered to be a deadly disease. In between 2000 and 2012, nearly 37% reduction in deaths related to heart diseases is seen in Europe by the use of properly prescribed medications. Moreover, since 1991 21% reduction in death related to cancer and 94% of deaths related to HIV are seen in Europe (efpia.eu, 2019). This indicates that medicine is valuable as it has improved the lives of the patients by helping them live longer and enjoy productive lives. The use of proper vaccination in various countries has led the world to be eradicated of diseases like smallpox, measles, rubella and others (ourworldindata.org, 2018).

The medicine is also valuable as it has resulted to reduce overall treatment cost by controlling the symptoms and progress of diseases at the earliest. This is evident as 1.6-2.1 million cases related to the treatment of influenza is reduced by using proper medication (Preaud et al. 2014). The medicines are effective to reduce hospitalisation among patients by controlling the severity impact of the disease. At present, the biopharmaceutical industry has developed in economic terms which have led to provide job opportunity for many people. In 2017, the total turnover of the pharmaceutical industry in the UK was £41.8 billion and it currently employs 113,000 people directly as well as indirectly (publications.parliament.uk, 2017). This indicates that medicine not only creates value by saving lives but also creates economic value by allowing people to earn their livelihood.

The medicine is also value to the society as it helps to resolve societal diseases allowing people to continue their contribution for the community. This is evident as use of proper medication was able to allow 23% breast cancer to be prevented and 95% women with breast cancer in England and Wales to be survived to return to work and take care of their families (cancerresearchuk, 2018).

Thus, the above discussion informs that the value of medicine is that it saves patients from death, improves healthcare management, contributes to economics and improves society.

References

• cancerresearchuk 2018, Breast cancer statistics, Available at: https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/health-professional/cancer-statistics/statistics-by-cancer-type/breast-cancer#heading-Three [Accessed on: 18 November 2019]
• efpia.eu 2019, Value of Medicine, Available at: https://www.efpia.eu/about-medicines/use-of-medicines/value-of-medicines/ [Accessed on: 18 November 2019]
• ourworldindata 2018, Eradication of Diseases, Available at: https://ourworldindata.org/eradication-of-diseases [Accessed on: 18 November 2019]
• Preaud, E., Durand, L., Macabeo, B., Farkas, N., Sloesen, B., Palache, A., Shupo, F. and Samson, S.I., 2014. Annual public health and economic benefits of seasonal influenza vaccination: a European estimate. BMC public health, 14(1), p.813.
• publications.parliament.uk 2017, The impact of Brexit on the pharmaceutical sector, Available at: https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201719/cmselect/cmbeis/382/382.pdf [Accessed on: 18 November 2019]
• Venables, E., Edwards, J.K., Baert, S., Etienne, W., Khabala, K. and Bygrave, H., 2016. " They just come, pick and go." The acceptability of integrated medication adherence clubs for HIV and non communicable disease (NCD) patients in Kibera, Kenya. PloS one, 11(10), p.e0164634.