Innovations in medicines and biotechnology have increased life expectancy and saved many lives. Explore how this happened, and how more progress can be made.<br><br><a href="https://ourworldindata.org/medicine-biotech"><img src="https://ourworldindata.org/cdn-cgi/imagedelivery/qLq-8BTgXU8yG0N6HnOy8g/9616ed87-e2c7-4b41-ef80-7ac6d428c800/w=1024"/></a>

Over a century of progress in surgery, drugs, prevention, and emergency response has driven down death rates from heart disease and stroke.<br><br><a href="https://ourworldindata.org/cardiovascular-deaths-decline"><img src="https://ourworldindata.org/cdn-cgi/imagedelivery/qLq-8BTgXU8yG0N6HnOy8g/7ca4974e-8cc8-4b46-a09f-a870c56c1600/w=1024"/></a>

Cuts to US aid could end the Demographic and Health Surveys. This would leave a massive gap in our understanding of global health, mortality, and development.<br><br><a href="https://ourworldindata.org/demographic-health-surveys-risk" target="_blank"><img src="https://ourworldindata.org/cdn-cgi/imagedelivery/qLq-8BTgXU8yG0N6HnOy8g/fd6c3b38-3997-4f3d-1051-b35ac4e0d000/w=1350"/></a>

Measles causes more than an acute illness: it suppresses immune memory and increases the risk of complications for years.<br><br><a href="https://ourworldindata.org/measles-increases-disease-risk" target="_blank"><img src="https://ourworldindata.org/cdn-cgi/imagedelivery/qLq-8BTgXU8yG0N6HnOy8g/b2168626-1df5-419a-7709-f57955f46800/w=1350"/></a>

Before the 1970s, most children affected by leukemia would quickly die from it. Now, most children in rich countries are cured.<br><br><a href="https://ourworldindata.org/childhood-leukemia-treatment-history" target="_blank"><img src="https://ourworldindata.org/cdn-cgi/imagedelivery/qLq-8BTgXU8yG0N6HnOy8g/28a0ccf8-4618-4822-638f-ea8143e06000/w=1350"/></a>

Measles once killed millions every year. Vaccines changed this, preventing disease, long-term immune damage, and deadly outbreaks.<br><br><a href="https://ourworldindata.org/measles-vaccines-save-lives" target="_blank"><img src="https://ourworldindata.org/cdn-cgi/imagedelivery/qLq-8BTgXU8yG0N6HnOy8g/5f66d86d-91f5-4839-caa7-d6c5ce64e300/w=1350"/></a>

Data from large meta-analyses show that measles vaccination is highly effective and safe, giving a 95% reduction in the risk of measles.<br><br><a href="https://ourworldindata.org/measles-vaccine-effectiveness-safety" target="_blank"><img src="https://ourworldindata.org/cdn-cgi/imagedelivery/qLq-8BTgXU8yG0N6HnOy8g/1d042616-0031-4929-ef74-a0d7a3176000/w=1350"/></a>

The baby boom reshaped family life and drove population growth in many countries. In this article, we explore the key patterns in seven charts.<br><br><a href="https://ourworldindata.org/baby-boom-seven-charts" target="_blank"><img src="https://ourworldindata.org/cdn-cgi/imagedelivery/qLq-8BTgXU8yG0N6HnOy8g/8ef118fd-a238-4212-76af-2674b5b4d300/w=1350"/></a>

The fertility rate is commonly confused with the eventual number of births per woman. This can result in misinterpreting the impact of policies and trends over time.<br><br><a href="https://ourworldindata.org/total-fertility-rate-births-per-woman" target="_blank"><img src="https://ourworldindata.org/cdn-cgi/imagedelivery/qLq-8BTgXU8yG0N6HnOy8g/07feefbb-15b0-4bbe-6a26-894e38507400/w=1350"/></a>

Data on fertility rates, ages of mothers and fathers at childbirth, twin births, reproductive technologies, contraception, and more.<br><br><a href="https://ourworldindata.org/fertility-rate" target="_blank"><img src="https://ourworldindata.org/cdn-cgi/imagedelivery/qLq-8BTgXU8yG0N6HnOy8g/22159485-fcb9-4811-8ca9-93644ffade00/w=1350"/></a>