Economic Impact of Healthcare Investments Discussed at Roche Media Dialogue 2026

At the event held under the title 'Innovation in Healthcare: Media Dialogue 2026' at Roche's campus in Basel, Switzerland, the economic and social impacts of healthcare investments and opportunities for access to innovative treatments were evaluated.

Michael Oberreiter, Head of Global External Relations at Roche International, stated that health is one of the fundamental elements of national security and economic growth, noting that between 1984 and 2000, pharmaceutical innovation contributed 40 percent to the global increase in life expectancy. Oberreiter conveyed that they anticipate saving the lives of 60 million people by 2040 through investments in preventive healthcare and innovation.

Prof. Dr. Dennis Ostwald, CEO of the WiFOR Institute, emphasized that health is not a cost center but rather a leading sector for growth and innovation. Ostwald stated that according to 2017 data in Germany, the annual labor force losses of 15.5 million migraine patients aged over 20 reached approximately 3 percent of the Gross Domestic Product.

Jörg Rupp, Head of Roche International Regions Pharma, noted that 3 billion people worldwide live with chronic diseases and half of the population cannot fully benefit from basic healthcare services. Rupp stated that every 1 dollar invested in the prevention of non-communicable diseases can provide a 7 dollar economic return and contribute 12 trillion dollars to global GDP by 2040.