July 2020Prioritizing healthA prescription for prosperityPrioritizinghealth:AprescriptionforprosperityMcKinsey Global InstituteSince its founding in 1990, the McKinsey Global Institute (MGI) has sought to develop a deeper understanding of the evolving global economy. As the business and economics research arm of McKinsey McKinsey senior partners Penelope Dash and Martin Dewhurst, based in London; Matthias Evers, based in Hamburg; Shubham Singhal, based in Detroit; and Matt Wilson, based in New York, as well as McKinsey partner Kristin-Anne Rutter, based in London. The project team was led by Aditi Ramdorai and included Julia Chin, Ada Cierkowska, Grail Dorling, Bartosz Jarocki, Obiaku Ohiaeri, Eike Pfefferkorn, Thilo Rattay, Armin Reinert, and Justin Shamoun. Jacob Aptekar, Emma Arias, Rodrigo Castilla, Sophie Clarke, Nicholas Fox, Badri Gopalakrishnan, Eric Koskins, and Madeline Penn provided additional analytical and research support.We would like to thank several individuals who challenged our thinking and provided expertise and advice, including our academic adviser, Dr. Richard N. Cooper, Maurits C. Boas Professor of International Economics, Harvard University; David M. Cutler, Otto Eckstein Professor of Applied Economics, Harvard University; and Dr. Franco Sassi, professor of international health policy and economics, Imperial College London. We are very grateful to the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation for ongoing support and insight. In particular, we would like to thank Joseph Dieleman, associate professor; William Heisel, director of global services; Charles Jonscher, head of client services unit; and Christopher J. L. Murray, director.A number of individuals generously contributed their time, data, and expertise. We would like to thank Karan Arora, chief commercial digital officer, AstraZeneca; Cristian Baeza, executive director, International Center for Health Systems Strengthening; Nir Barzilai, founding director, Institute for Aging Research, Albert Einstein College of Medicine; Klaus Berger, professor, chair of the Institute of Epidemiology and Social Medicine, University of Münster; David Bloom, Clarence James Gamble Professor of Economics and Demography, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health; Camilla Cavendish, senior fellow, Harvard Kennedy School; Martha Deevy, associate director, Stanford Center on Longevity, Stanford University; Anna Dixon, chief executive, Centre for Ageing Better; Jennifer Dixon, CEO, The Health Foundation; Victor Dzau, president, National Academy of Medicine; Alberto Eduardo Parajó Calvo, chief of general surgery, Complexo Hospitalario Universitario de Pontevedra; Wolfgang Fengler, lead economist, World Bank; Anthony Freeling, president, Hughes Hall, and University Council member, University of Cambridge; Suzanne Holt Ballard, founder/CEO, Future Cities Lab; David Hutton, associate professor, University of Michigan School of Public Health; Judith Ish-Horowicz, director and principal, Apples and Honey Nightingale ii McKinsey Global InstituteCIC; Chintan Maru, founder, Leapfrog to Value; Patrick Maxwell, professor, Cambridge University; Jan Mutchler, director, Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging, Gerontology Institute, University of Massachusetts Boston; Jay Olshansky, professor of public health, University of Illinois at Chicago; James Peyer, CEO, Cambrian BioPharma; Maria Polyakova, assistant professor, Center for Health Policy, Stanford School of Medicine; Gregory Roth, assistant professor, Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington; Caroline Schmutte, Germany office lead, Wellcome Trust; Michael Stolpe, senior economist, Kiel Institute of World Economy; Nora Super, senior director, Milken Institute Center for the Future of Aging; and Debra Whitman, EVP and chief public policy officer, AARP.We are very grateful for the valuable help we received from past and present colleagues at MGI and McKinsey keep health on everyones agenda; transform healthcare systems; and double down on innovation in therapeutics and beyond.As countries emerge from the COVID-19 crisis, we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to rethink the role of health in a post-pandemic future. Making health a priority and shifting focus to areas with highest return can improve resilience, reduce health inequity, and promote greater individual, social, and economic well-being. vi McKinsey Global Institute47% saved from noncommunicable diseases37% saved from infectious diseases16% saved from other diseasesWhat would the benef_its be from improving health globally?43 daysmore than the expected GDP impact from the COVIDhyphen.case19 pandemic25xIn a typical year, poor health costs the global economy: per person lost to poor health and premature death 5%productivity loss per worker with chronic conditions Using known interventions, we could reduce the global disease burden over 40%more people would be alive in 204065>70% 55comes from prevention including environmental, behavioral, and social interventions, and preventive health measures8%$2$4Expanded participationFewer early deathsFewer health conditionsIncrease in labor productivityThe health benef_its we size would inject $12 trillion into the global economy in 2040GDP impact in 2040, $ trillionboost to GDP in 2040of economic benef_its for every dollar invested in better health4.21.4 4.1 2.0 12.015%of GDP which is.Middle-age benef_itwould be the new © Hugh Sitton/Getty Images