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Chronic diseases are one of the most complex and important health care challenges of our time. Seven out of ten deaths in the United States are due to chronic health conditions, and about half of all American adults have one or more of these conditions.

Generally regarded as health conditions lasting a year or more, chronic health conditions require ongoing medical attention and place considerable burden on both patients and caregivers. Chronic diseases encompass a broad range of illnesses that often limit the activities of daily life, have detrimental effects on quality of life, cause disability, disrupt families and often take the lives of loved ones.

With the burden of chronic disease on the rise in coming years, the crucial role that medicines play in treating illness, preventing unnecessary complications and allowing patients to enjoy healthier and more productive lives will prove increasingly important.