Havas Lynx explores how climate and health collide
Havas Lynx’s white paper, "Climate of Health," takes a clear-eyed look at how a warming world is reshaping human health. The message is simple and pressing: climate change isn’t a distant environmental issue—it’s a direct, growing threat to our well-being. The World Health Organization attributes one in four deaths to preventable environmental causes. Looking ahead, projections suggest that by 2050 climate change could contribute to an additional 14.5 million deaths and $12.5 trillion in economic losses. Those numbers aren’t abstract; they’ll show up in clinics, hospitals, and homes.
What’s changing across therapy areas
The paper maps the ripple effects across medicine: respiratory disease, oncology, mental health, cardiovascular conditions, women’s health, diabetes, and more. Heat, air quality, food and water security, displacement—they all feed into risk, diagnosis, and care. The call to action is directed at everyone in the health ecosystem. Healthcare professionals (HCPs) and patients are being asked to engage, and the pharmaceutical industry is being asked to act responsibly and at speed.
What HCPs are seeing and doing
Using data from Havas Lynx’s Point.1 platform, the report shows a steady rise in awareness among HCPs and a shift in day-to-day choices. Highlights include:
- 77% of HCPs say the climate crisis is putting their patients’ health at risk—an urgent signal for action.
- 62% report that climate change is altering the mix of patients they see, from who walks through the door to what conditions they present with.
- 41% now weigh environmental practices when selecting products, choosing options from pharmaceutical brands that act responsibly.
- 52% are more inclined to prescribe medicines known to be environmentally friendly.
Expectations of industry are rising too. Fully 72% of HCPs believe pharmaceutical companies should use their influence to drive meaningful change on climate and health.
Climate action as part of corporate value
The evidence points to a link between credible climate action and stronger corporate equity. Beyond a product’s core clinical performance, a pharmacy’s or pharma company’s reputation weighs heavily in HCP prescribing behavior. In practice, that means addressing the climate–health crisis isn’t just an ethical stance; it’s also a strategic one that shapes trust, preference, and long-term value.
Commitment and next steps
Havas Lynx plans to use these findings to guide clients through a complex, shifting landscape. The aim is practical: help brands make better choices that support patient health today while reducing harm to the planet over time. Done well, the two goals reinforce each other.
About Havas Lynx
Havas Lynx is a leading healthcare communications agency, ranked among the top three global agencies by Cannes Lions. The team includes nearly 500 specialists working across major cities. They collaborate closely with clients, healthcare professionals, and patients to find and deliver solutions that meet the realities of modern care.
About Point.1
Point.1 is Havas Lynx’s proprietary data tool, designed to surface one of the broadest views of HCP attitudes, beliefs, behaviors, and influences. These insights help shape more effective healthcare strategies and create better experiences for HCPs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core message of "Climate of Health"?
That climate change is already affecting patient health across many conditions and will continue to do so unless the health sector—and especially pharma—acts with intent.
Who produced the white paper?
Havas Lynx, a global healthcare communications agency, authored and published "Climate of Health."
Which therapy areas does the report say are most affected?
It highlights impacts across respiratory disease, oncology, mental health, cardiovascular conditions, women’s health, diabetes, and related areas.
What are HCPs changing in their practice?
Many are adjusting to shifting patient demographics, factoring environmental responsibility into product choices, and showing greater willingness to prescribe environmentally friendly medicines.
How will Havas Lynx use these findings?
The agency plans to advise clients on practical steps that strengthen brands while supporting patient health and reducing environmental harm.
