International Alliance of Patients' Organizations perspectives on person-centered medicine

Non-communicable diseases or chronic conditions, such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease, are affecting the health and quality of life of an increasing number of patients around the world. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that in 2005 they caused an estimated 35 million deaths representing 60% of all deaths globally with 80% of deaths due to non-communicable diseases occurring in low and middle income countries [1]. This is placing an ever-increasing burden on health systems, originally designed to address acute medical conditions.