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Cancer and Heart Disease Death Rates Have Declined in 150 Countries Since 2010

Nature | Noncommunicable Disease

Cancer and Heart Disease Death Rates Have Declined in 150 Countries Since 2010

“The chance of dying from chronic illnesses such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes declined in four out of five countries between 2010 and 2019, finds a study of 185 countries published in The Lancet today [9/10/25].

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are the leading cause of death globally. The United Nations has set the goal of reducing deaths from these diseases by one-third by 2030.

The latest study is the first to investigate the change in NCD mortality across countries. It finds that, from 2010 to 2019, the probability of dying from an NCD before the age of 80 fell in 152 countries for women and in 147 countries for men.”

From Nature.

Wall Street Journal | Overall Mortality

US Death Rate Falls to Its Lowest Point on Record

“The U.S. overall death rate in 2025 fell to its lowest point on record, even as influenza and pneumonia are now among the nation’s top 10 causes of death for the first time in years, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The death rate fell 4.6% last year, to 689.2 deaths per 100,000 people, down from 722.1 in 2024, according to the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics. The death rate declined across every age group and nearly every demographic group tracked in the provisional report.

The main driver of that record low was a continued drop in drug overdose deaths, said Farida Ahmad, a health scientist at the CDC and one of the report’s co-authors. Another factor, she added, was that Covid-19 no longer contributed to as many deaths.”

From Wall Street Journal.

National Health Commission of the PRC | Overall Mortality

China Reports Record-Low Child Mortality Rates in 2025

“China has made substantial progress in improving child health during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25), with key mortality indicators now among the best in upper-middle-income countries, the National Health Commission said on Monday.

In 2025, the country’s infant mortality rate dropped to 3.8 per 1,000 live births, and the under-5 mortality rate fell to 5.4 per 1,000 live births, according to Fu Wei, director of the commission’s Department of Maternal and Child Health.”

From National Health Commission of the PRC.

Times of India | Overall Mortality

The Reasons Behind India’s Falling Infant Mortality Rate

“India has recorded a significant decline in infant deaths over the past decade, with the Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) falling to 24 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2024…

The latest Sample Registration System (SRS) Report 2024 shows that India reduced its IMR from 30 in 2019 to 24 in 2024, reflecting an annual average decline of around one point. The improvement has been driven largely by a sharp increase in institutional deliveries and expanded maternal and child healthcare services across the country.”

From Times of India.

STAT | Overall Mortality

The US Infant Mortality Rate Fell to an All-Time Low

“Infant mortality in the U.S. dropped to a new all-time low in 2025, according to preliminary government data.

There were slightly fewer than 5.4 infant deaths per 1,000 live births in 2025, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

While that appears to be a small decline from about 5.5 in 2024 and 5.6 in the two years preceding, researchers say it is statistically meaningful and translates to hundreds of fewer infant deaths per year.”

From STAT.