---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Most innovations, unfortunately, actually…"
description: "\"Most innovations, unfortunately, actually increase the net costs of the healthcare system. There's a few, particularly having to do with chronic diseas..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d59/bill-gates-137_alzheimer_most-innovations-unfortunately-actually_2235582.jpg"
---

#  Most innovations, unfortunately, actually increase the net…

![“Most innovations, unfortunately, actually increase the net costs of the healthcare system. There's a few, particularly having to do with chronic diseases, that are an exception. If you could cure Alzheimer's, if you could avoid diabetes - those are gigantic in terms of saving money. But the…” quote by Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d59/bill-gates-137_alzheimer_most-innovations-unfortunately-actually_2235582.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d59/bill-gates-137_alzheimer_most-innovations-unfortunately-actually_2235582.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d59/bill-gates-137_alzheimer_most-innovations-unfortunately-actually_2235582.jpg)

> “Most innovations, unfortunately, actually increase the net costs of the healthcare system. There's a few, particularly having to do with chronic diseases, that are an exception. If you could cure Alzheimer's, if you could avoid diabetes - those are gigantic in terms of saving money. But the incentive regime doesn't favor them.”

[Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Innovations often raise healthcare costs; only cures for major chronic diseases could reduce expenses, but current incentives don’t support them.

**In simple terms:** New tech usually costs more; only big disease cures could save money.

Key Takeaway

Address incentive structures to prioritize disease cures.

Themes

healthcare economics innovation incentives chronic disease policy

Mood

concerned critical

Type

analytical policy-oriented

When to use this quote

- government funding decisions
- insurance design
- R&D prioritization

Key Concepts

cost-benefit analysis public health pharmaceutical economics

Questions to Reflect On

- How could funding models be restructured to reward preventive breakthroughs?
- What barriers prevent investment in disease cures?

A Different Perspective

Economic incentives may favor profitable treatments over preventive cures.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Alzheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alzheimer/) [Alzheimer 's](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alzheimer-s/) [Cost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cost/) [Costs Healthcare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/costs-healthcare-1690107/) [Cures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cures/) [Diabetes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diabetes/) [Disease](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disease/) [Exception](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exception/) [Favors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/favors/) [Health](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/health/) [Healthcare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/healthcare/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Incentive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/incentive/) [Incentives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/incentives/) [Increase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/increase/) [Increase Net](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/increase-net-3187738/) [Innovation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innovation/) [Innovations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innovations/) [Innovations Unfortunately](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innovations-unfortunately-5045904/) [Regimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regimes/) [Saving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saving/) [Saving money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saving-money/) [Term](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/term/)

## Related quotes

> [“Every man from his worth can build and increase his net worth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/every-man-from-his-worth-can-build-and-increase-his-net-worth/)

[Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/)

> [Lawsuit abuse is a major contributor to the increased costs of healthcare, goods and services to consumers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-w-pickering/lawsuit-abuse-is-a-major-contributor-to-the-increased-costs-of/)

[Charles W. Pickering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-w-pickering/)

> [“As illusions go, this one is pretty stubborn. When you’re obsessed with efficiency and productivity, it’s difficult to see the real value of education…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/as-illusions-go-this-one-is-pretty-stubborn-when-you-re-obsessed-with/)

[Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/)

> [The main thing that's missing in energy is an incentive to create things that are zero-CO2-emitting and that have the right scale and reliability…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/the-main-thing-that-s-missing-in-energy-is-an-incentive-to-create/)

[Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/)

> [“But in the military sphere, just as in science, economics, art, or culture, change is not evenly distributed across space and time. Sometimes innovations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-boot/but-in-the-military-sphere-just-as-in-science-economics-art-or/)

[Max Boot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-boot/)

> [“An innovation, or cluster of innovations, in one field ends up triggering changes that seem to belong to a different domain altogether.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-johnson/an-innovation-or-cluster-of-innovations-in-one-field-ends-up/)

[Steven Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-johnson/)

> [In a time when it is common for chefs to simply reproduce the innovations of others, the few who speak for themselves through their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-trotter/in-a-time-when-it-is-common-for-chefs-to-simply-reproduce-the/)

[Charlie Trotter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-trotter/)

> [Companies, in fact, are specifically organized to under-invest in disruptive innovations! This is one reason why we often suggest that companies set up separate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clayton-christensen/companies-in-fact-are-specifically-organized-to-under-invest-in/)

[Clayton Christensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clayton-christensen/)

> [Accelerating technology innovations such as ubiquitous sensors, cheap computing power, and 5G networks will open entirely new opportunities and challenges.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-engelbert/accelerating-technology-innovations-such-as-ubiquitous-sensors-cheap/)

[Cathy Engelbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-engelbert/)

> [When it comes to providing aid, developing innovations, and making bold steps that change the course of history, the United States is usually on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-berkley/when-it-comes-to-providing-aid-developing-innovations-and-making-bold/)

[Seth Berkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-berkley/)

> [Innovations seem inevitable in retrospect, but at the time it's an uphill battle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-livingston/innovations-seem-inevitable-in-retrospect-but-at-the-time-it-s-an/)

[Jessica Livingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-livingston/)

> [If innovations were predictable, they wouldn't be discoveries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-m-krauss/if-innovations-were-predictable-they-wouldn-t-be-discoveries/)

[Lawrence M. Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-m-krauss/)

> [To me, part of the magic of this era is that the very same innovations, discoveries, and technologies that are allowing us to live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-sebelius/to-me-part-of-the-magic-of-this-era-is-that-the-very-same-innovations/)

[Kathleen Sebelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-sebelius/)

> [Innovations never happen as planned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gifford-pinchot/innovations-never-happen-as-planned/)

[Gifford Pinchot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gifford-pinchot/)

> [“Some innovations just don’t attract enough economic or social demand: just as supersonic flight and manned space flight stagnated after the 1970s, today (in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-j-rees/some-innovations-just-don-t-attract-enough-economic-or-social-demand/)

[Martin J. Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-j-rees/)

## More by Bill Gates

> [If you’re a person struggling to eat and stay healthy you might have heard about Michael Jordan or Muhammad Ali, but you’ll never have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/if-you-re-a-person-struggling-to-eat-and-stay-healthy-you-might-have/)

[Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/)

> [I really had a lot of dreams when I was a kid, and I think a great deal of that grew out of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/i-really-had-a-lot-of-dreams-when-i-was-a-kid-and-i-think-a-great/)

[Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/)

> [Understanding science and pushing the boundaries of science is what makes me immensely satisfied.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/understanding-science-and-pushing-the-boundaries-of-science-is-what/)

[Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/)

> [We're focused on providing innovations in software, driving the continuous improvement for a much better experience, and there's a lot going on here that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/we-re-focused-on-providing-innovations-in-software-driving-the/)

[Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/)

> [Paper is no longer a big part of my day. I get 90% of my news online, and when I go to a meeting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/paper-is-no-longer-a-big-part-of-my-day-i-get-90-of-my-news-online/)

[Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/)

> [Software will get to be somewhat more mature, ah, but it will never be as predictable as most areas of engineering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/software-will-get-to-be-somewhat-more-mature-ah-but-it-will-never-be/)

[Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/)

> [Students deserve great teachers. And teachers deserve the support they need to become great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/students-deserve-great-teachers-and-teachers-deserve-the-support-they/)

[Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/)

> [The machines need to get faster. They need to get cheaper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/the-machines-need-to-get-faster-they-need-to-get-cheaper/)

[Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/)

> [Like many others, I have deep misgivings about the state of education in the United States. Too many of our students fail to graduate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/like-many-others-i-have-deep-misgivings-about-the-state-of-education/)

[Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/)

> [Over time, yes, countries will need to look at specific GMO products like they look at drugs today, where they don't approve them all.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/over-time-yes-countries-will-need-to-look-at-specific-gmo-products/)

[Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/)

> [Competition is always a fantastic thing, and the computer industry is intensely competitive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/competition-is-always-a-fantastic-thing-and-the-computer-industry-is/)

[Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/)

> [I don't think there's anything unique about human intellience. All the nuerons in the brain that make up perceptions and emotions operate in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/i-don-t-think-there-s-anything-unique-about-human-intellience-all-the/)

[Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/)

> [At every juncture, advanced tools have been the key to a new wave of applications, and each wave of applications has been key to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/at-every-juncture-advanced-tools-have-been-the-key-to-a-new-wave-of/)

[Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/)

> [Software is more important than hardware.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/software-is-more-important-than-hardware/)

[Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/)

> [Talking to mothers, always brings it home because they're so anxious to do everything they can for their kids and so tragic for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/talking-to-mothers-always-brings-it-home-because-they-re-so-anxious/)

[Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/)

[Explore all 1,165 Bill Gates quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/)

## More Alzheimer quotes

> [People do not realize that Alzheimer's is not old age. It is a progressive and fatal disease, and staggering amounts of people develop Alzheimer's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-kanakaredes/people-do-not-realize-that-alzheimer-s-is-not-old-age-it-is-a/)

[Melina Kanakaredes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-kanakaredes/)

> [It turns out that this part of the brain is one of the first areas that's attacked by Alzheimer's disease. So we can now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-o-keefe/it-turns-out-that-this-part-of-the-brain-is-one-of-the-first-areas/)

[John O'Keefe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-o-keefe/)

> [Today is the best day I could ever have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-dees/today-is-the-best-day-i-could-ever-have/)

[Rick Dees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-dees/)

> [Inflammation is the cornerstone of Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's, multiple sclerosis - all of the neurodegenerative diseases are really predicated on inflammation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-perlmutter/inflammation-is-the-cornerstone-of-alzheimer-s-disease-and-parkinson/)

[David Perlmutter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-perlmutter/)

> [I have a particular passion and focus on Alzheimer's and diseases of dementia. There's just so much scientifically that we don't know, and we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-d-white/i-have-a-particular-passion-and-focus-on-alzheimer-s-and-diseases-of/)

[Miles D. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-d-white/)

> [I loved my husband very much, and it was heartbreaking to have him develop Alzheimer's disease, and to stand by and watch him decline…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-day-o-connor/i-loved-my-husband-very-much-and-it-was-heartbreaking-to-have-him/)

[Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-day-o-connor/)

> [The modern rise of Alzheimer's Disease in the twentieth century is not a sign of failure. It's a sign of success. Success in living…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-jay-olshansky/the-modern-rise-of-alzheimer-s-disease-in-the-twentieth-century-is/)

[S. Jay Olshansky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-jay-olshansky/)

> [You don't just wake up one day with dementia or Alzheimer's; these conditions are developmental. Even when a problem triggers the need to collect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tan-le/you-don-t-just-wake-up-one-day-with-dementia-or-alzheimer-s-these/)

[Tan Le](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tan-le/)

> [There is a version of Alzheimer's which is early onset Alzheimer's. And it's - it's horrible, because people do get it in their 50s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-davis/there-is-a-version-of-alzheimer-s-which-is-early-onset-alzheimer-s/)

[Patti Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-davis/)

> [I'm in awe of people out there who deal with Alzheimer's, because they have to deal with death 10 times over, year after year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcia-wallace/i-m-in-awe-of-people-out-there-who-deal-with-alzheimer-s-because-they/)

[Marcia Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcia-wallace/)

> [I started out as a neurologist. I then trained in neuropathology and was focused on neurodegeneration. So, for years, I studied Alzheimer's, aging, Parkinson's,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-mckee/i-started-out-as-a-neurologist-i-then-trained-in-neuropathology-and/)

[Ann McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-mckee/)

> [I am saddened when I hear these words -this is not the person I knew - because those words objectify the person suffering from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-demarco/i-am-saddened-when-i-hear-these-words-this-is-not-the-person-i-knew/)

[Bob DeMarco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-demarco/)

> [I regard music therapy as a tool of great power in many neurological disorders -- Parkinson's and Alzheimer's -- because of its unique capacity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-sacks/i-regard-music-therapy-as-a-tool-of-great-power-in-many-neurological/)

[Oliver Sacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-sacks/)

> [It occurred to me that at one point it was like I had two diseases - one was Alzheimers, and the other was knowing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/it-occurred-to-me-that-at-one-point-it-was-like-i-had-two-diseases/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [The simplest way to look at all these associations, between obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, cancer, and Alzheimer's (not to mention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-taubes/the-simplest-way-to-look-at-all-these-associations-between-obesity/)

[Gary Taubes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-taubes/)

[Browse all 179 Alzheimer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alzheimer/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Most innovations, unfortunately, actually increase the net costs of the healthcare system. There's a few, particularly having to do with chronic diseases, that are an exception. If you could cure Alzheimer's, if you could avoid diabetes - those are gigantic in terms of saving money. But the incentive regime doesn't favor them.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Bill Gates"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/most-innovations-unfortunately-actually-increase-the-net-costs-of-the/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Alzheimer"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/most-innovations-unfortunately-actually-increase-the-net-costs-of-the/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d59/bill-gates-137_alzheimer_most-innovations-unfortunately-actually_2235582.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d59/bill-gates-137_alzheimer_most-innovations-unfortunately-actually_2235582.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d59/bill-gates-137_alzheimer_most-innovations-unfortunately-actually_2235582.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Most innovations, unfortunately, actually increase the net costs of the healthcare system. There's a few…” — Bill Gates",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Bill Gates",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Most innovations, unfortunately, actually increase the...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/most-innovations-unfortunately-actually-increase-the-net-costs-of-the/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/most-innovations-unfortunately-actually-increase-the-net-costs-of-the/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```