On September 17, 2025, Crowell Global Advisors convened a policy dialogue at the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) High-Level Meeting on Health & the Economy in Seoul to reframe health investments as engines of economic growth. Bringing together APEC member economies, the Asian Development Bank, and private sector leaders, the dialogue highlighted the strong socioeconomic returns of prevention, early detection, and innovation – spanning digital, AI-enabled care and precision medicine – and explored examples of financing pathways for non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
This event summary report highlights insights and recommendations from the dialogue to help finance and health decision-makers direct resources toward high-value care and strengthen cross-sector collaboration.
As aging populations and the rise of NCDs reshape the region’s economic outlook, the report underscores a clear message: investing in health is investing in productivity, resilience, and inclusive growth.
