From Awareness to Action: Tackling the Rising Burden of Common Chronic Diseases

https://www.fda.gov/news-events/fda-voices/awareness-action-tackling-rising-burden-common-chronic-diseases?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery Since graduating from medical school in 1978, I’ve seen medicine and healthcare change in unimaginable ways for the better. However, one of the most alarming changes is the recent decline in life expectancy in our country, largely due to the cumulative impact of common chronic diseases (CCDs), combined with excessive rates of suicide, drug overdose and gun violence, and, of course, COVID-19. How can it be that our prowess in technology is not translating into better health and longevity for the American public? Chronic Disease Day, marked earlier this month, originated in part from the recognition of these trends, now resulting in a serious state of affairs: 7 of the 10 leading causes of death in the U.S. are CCDs. But the recognition of the importance of chronicity of disease is a relatively new issue. The focus of my early career was heart attacks, which at that time killed about 50% of those affected. Today, due to advances in treatments for heart attacks that have transformed the field of cardiology with significant support from U.S. Food and Drug Administration policies supporting innovation and evidence generation, the vast majority of people survive heart attacks. However, many of these survivors go on to develop chronic conditions like heart failure. Chronic diseases of the heart, lung, kidneys, liver, and metabolism (such as obesity and diabetes) account for the vast majority of deaths in this country. Even many patients with cancer now can often expect to be long term survivors, although many cancer survivors continue to have chronic manifestations of the cancer or related diseases.