Enabling populations to live better, for longer

Inform your discussions and decisions this week.?The world faces significant challenges due to demographic shifts. Falling birth rates and rising life expectancy are increasing the old-age dependency ratio. This puts pressure on individuals, economies and public services, and brings into focus the need to manage chronic illnesses for longer.

Policies such as parental leave, baby bonus schemes and subsidies for assisted reproductive technology (ART) aim to tackle falling birth rates. But what effect do these policies have in practice? Fertility policy and practice: a Toolkit for Europe is a new report produced by Economist Impact, sponsored by Merck. It explores strategies to create an environment that supports families, while addressing future demographic shifts.

Also, find out how cities can improve the cardiovascular health of residents and catch up on our conversation about stroke prevention with Dr. Adel Alhazzani, vice-president of MENA Stroke Organization. You can also learn about undiagnosed chronic liver conditions and find out how to make vaccines more sustainable.

In Europe the old-age ratio has significantly increased. Understand what needs to be done to ease pressure on public services.

With nearly one billion living with a mental health condition,?understand how to improve the quality of mental health care—and widen its accessibility.

Explore how space innovation can elevate your business to new heights. Unlock cosmic insights at the Space Economy Summit in Lisbon on December 4th and 5th.