In the research article published in The Lancet, titled “Rethinking Economic Policy for Health and Wellbeing,” the authors explore the consequences of economic growth on health, environmental sustainability, and inequality. While economic expansion over the past century has yielded significant benefits, it has also led to pressing challenges such as pollution, unhealthy lifestyles, and rising non-communicable diseases. Furthermore, access to essential health services remains a challenge for more than half of the global population, with many facing financial hardship when seeking care.
The article advocates for a shift away from the traditional focus on gross domestic product (GDP) as the primary economic indicator. Instead, it argues that health and well-being should be at the heart of economic policies. This approach, championed by the WHO Council on the Economics of Health for All, calls for fundamental changes in how nations value health, finance public health systems, foster innovation, and build government capacity to promote health equity. The recommendations from this research have informed the World Health Assembly’s recent resolution on the “Economics of Health for All,” aiming to redefine how governments approach the intersection of health and economic development.