OECD countries have made tremendous strides in improving population health over recent decades. Life expectancy at birth has increased, rising on average by ten years between 1960 and 2008. Today, a woman aged 65 can expect to live another 20 years, and a man an additional 17 years. And although socio-economic inequalities in health status and access to care remain, reductions in child mortality and gains in population health have continued to improve at a steady pace. These achievements can in part be attributed to increased incomes and higher levels of education. But a good portion of these gains comes from improvements in health care itself – through technological progress and evidencebased treatment, in particular.