A global phenomenon
Long confined to the most advanced economies, population aging is now a global phenomenon. The proportion of people over 60 is expected to rise from 12% to 22%1 between 2015 and 2050, by which time 80% of older people will live in low- or middle-income countries. Irreversible and durable, aging has major social and economic impacts and raises the question of how to support it. The WHO describes “healthy aging” as a global priority2. The health sector in general, and the pharmaceutical industry in particular, are called upon to play a central role in this transition.
Ensuring access to care
Aging naturally increases demand for care worldwide and puts strong pressure on health systems and insurance. According to a study conducted by Clariane and Asterès3, by 2030 the sole effect of aging will have generated a 4.8% increase in health expenditures in France compared with 2023. At the same time, medicine prices increase and remain proportionally higher in low-income countries4. This complex economic equation increases the risk of a two-speed health system5 and argues for new models in which the pharmaceutical industry has a role to play.
Developing innovative therapeutic solutions can also help improve access to care for older people. Single Pill Combinations, which combine several active ingredients in a single tablet, simplify treatment-taking. They support adherence for people living with chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension or hypercholesterolemia, and help address multiple pathologies that are more frequent among older people.
Single pill combinations: A solution to foster therapeutic adherence
The phenomenon also concerns cancers, whose incidence is higher among older people, and for which oncology specialists must adapt. This situation justifies Servier’s particular efforts in this area, which accounts for nearly 70% of the Group’s R&D investments.
84%
of pharmaceutical industry leaders believe demographic transitions will have a major impact on their business model (source: PwC).
Strengthening production capacities
Growing global demand—partly due to population aging—also raises production and distribution questions. DHL mentions6 increasing needs for home delivery of medicines, a market estimated at $28.69 billion7 by 2029. On the production side, IQVIA estimates the global medicines market could reach $2.2 trillion8 by 2028, versus $1.6 trillion in 2023. At European level, the Critical Medicines Act9 proposes an initial response via an investment plan to strengthen production capacity for critical medicines while limiting international dependencies. At Servier, this translates into comprehensive and sustainable securing of the production chain. More broadly, diversifying supplies, continuously integrating technological innovations within industrial tools and managing stocks responsibly are essential pillars to guarantee medicine availability in all circumstances.
From treatment to holistic support
The “healthy aging” topic must be understood as a global societal issue, closely linked to a shift in how we view health. It naturally includes issues directly concerning the pharmaceutical industry, linked to the prevalence of certain diseases among older people. The incidence of cardiac failure, for example, doubles every ten years from age 55, pushing leaders in cardiometabolism and venous diseases—such as Servier—to develop dedicated solutions: Single Pill Combinations or digital support solutions for healthy aging. It also requires a decentring of curative logics and a renewed prevention effort. In this context, the pharmaceutical industry can join public health initiatives linked to nutrition, education or screening. This is what Servier does through its support for “May Measurement Month” led by the International Society of Hypertension, World Heart Day or World Adherence Day, both supported by the World Heart Federation.
A little reading: “Decade of healthy aging10”
The UN describes the years 2021–2030 as the “decade of healthy aging”. Behind the term, the institution deploys a global program whose ambition is to change the way we think, feel and act with regard to aging. The initiative aims to bring together all health stakeholders around four pillars: combating age-related discrimination; building age-friendly environments; providing better integrated health services; and ensuring long-term access to care.
[1] World Health Organization (WHO) – Aging and health, factsheet, etc.
[2] World Health Organization (WHO) – Aging well must be a global priority, communiqué, 6 November 2014.
[3] Clariane – Impact of aging on health expenditures, thematic dossier.
[4] JAMA Health Forum – Economic and systemic impacts of aging, article, 2024.
[5] Bruegel – Demographic divide: inequalities in aging across the European Union, Policy Brief.
[6] DHL – Pharma logistics challenges linked to population aging, sector analysis.
[7] GlobeNewswire – Direct-to-Patient Healthcare Logistics Market – outlook 2029, press release, 6 December 2024.
[8] LEEM – The global pharmaceutical market, sector data based on IQVIA, etc.
[9] European Commission – Critical Medicines Act, European regulatory framework.
[10] UN – Decade of healthy aging.