Summary

• Care for people with chronic diseases currently consumes the largest share of the healthcare budget in most countries, regardless of their level of income, and its overall share is expected to rise significantly in the decades to come. Care for people with multiple chronic diseases accounts for the greatest consumption of resources.

• There is a dearth of data on the economic, social and political impacts of multiple chronic diseases.

• Close integration and coordination of social and health services appear to be essential for the successful management of multiple chronic diseases. However, most policy, economic and management models seem to be anchored in the past by excessive compartmentalization and a lack of dialogue across levels of care, sectors and geographic regions.

• Given the potential political, societal, and economic challenge presented by inappropriate handling of multiple chronic diseases and the failure of market forces to contain them, political intervention, ideally backed by a global network of influential political, academic, clinical, corporate and community organizations, is justified.