Each new drug approved between 1970 and 1991 saves an average of 11,200 life-years in 1991. -- Lichtenberg, Frank R. "Longer Living Through Chemistry". The Milken Institute Review. Vol. 1st quarter, Thu, 27 Apr 2006 15:46:50 -0500 http://www.silverbook.org/fact/160 http://www.silverbook.org/fact/160 The share of elderly with impairments in their ability to live independently went down between 1% and 1.5% annually between 1984 and 2004, compared to the historical annual decline in chronic disability of 0.6% between 1910 and 1985. -- Cutler, David M. "Are the Benefits of Medicine Worth What We Pay for It? 15th Annual Herbert Lourie Memorial Lecture on Health Policy". Center for Policy Research Briefs . Vol. 27, Fri, 18 May 2007 14:39:44 -0500 http://www.silverbook.org/fact/161 http://www.silverbook.org/fact/161 Between 1980 and 2000, annual age adjusted per person health care costs increased by $2,254 (102%) but were accompanied by significant health gains including: a 16% decline in annual death rates; a 4% increase in life expectancy from birth; a 25% decline in disability rates for people over 65-years-old; and a 56% decline in the number of hospital days. -- MEDTAP International, Inc. The Value of Investment in Health Care: Better care, better lives. Bethesda, MD: MEDTAP. 2004. Wed, 16 May 2007 11:04:50 -0500 http://www.silverbook.org/fact/162 http://www.silverbook.org/fact/162 The United States would have spent $634 billion less on health care in 2000 without many of the improvements in health and the associated investments that were seen between 1980 and 2000. However, there would have been 470,000 more deaths, 2.3 million more disabled, and 206 million more days in the hospital. -- MEDTAP International, Inc. The Value of Investment in Health Care: Better care, better lives. Bethesda, MD: MEDTAP. 2004. Wed, 16 May 2007 11:06:06 -0500 http://www.silverbook.org/fact/163 http://www.silverbook.org/fact/163 Decline in Disability Rates for People Aged over 65 Years, 1982-2000 -- MEDTAP International, Inc. The Value of Investment in Health Care: Better care, better lives. Bethesda, MD: MEDTAP. 2004. Fri, 28 Apr 2006 10:06:14 -0500 http://www.silverbook.org/fact/283 http://www.silverbook.org/fact/283 2004 saw the sharpest drop in deaths in around 60 years - down almost 50,000 from 2003. The research team for "Death: Preliminary Data for 2004" from the National Center for Health Statistics, suspects that the drop is due to decreases in deaths from heart disease, stroke, and cancer - the leading killers. It may also have to do with 2004 having a mild flu season. -- Gardner, Amanda. "U.S. Death Rates Drop Dramatically". MSN Health & Fitness. April 19, 2006. Mon, 21 May 2007 14:42:33 -0500 http://www.silverbook.org/fact/416 http://www.silverbook.org/fact/416 Change in the U.S. Death Rates by Cause, 1950 & 2003 -- American Cancer Society. "Cancer Statistics 2006". 2006. Thu, 17 May 2007 10:02:33 -0500 http://www.silverbook.org/fact/531 http://www.silverbook.org/fact/531 Benefit of Increased Health Care Spending: Disability rates declining for seniors, 1982-1999 -- PhRMA. "Patient Impact of Medicines". Tue, 01 May 2007 13:03:52 -0500 http://www.silverbook.org/fact/860 http://www.silverbook.org/fact/860 New medicines, or "new chemical entities" accounted for 40% (0.8 years) of the two-year gain in life expectancy seen in 52 countries from 1986-2000. -- Lichtenberg, Frank R. "The Impact of New Drug Launches on Longevity: Evidence from longitudinal disease-level data from 52 countries, 1982-2001". National Bureau of Economic Research. Vol. Working Paper No. 9754, Fri, 15 Sep 2006 14:47:25 -0500 http://www.silverbook.org/fact/574 http://www.silverbook.org/fact/574 In 2000, Americans saved 206 million days of hospital care because of health care investments. -- MEDTAP International, Inc. "The Value of Investment in Health Care". 2004. Mon, 30 Apr 2007 13:16:35 -0500 http://www.silverbook.org/fact/833 http://www.silverbook.org/fact/833