The health-care sector of the S & P 500 is up about 8% year to date, marking a sharp comeback from a largely flat 2023. Even as health care is making a comeback this year, investors shouldn't forget its defensive attributes. Back in 2022, when the S & P 500 fell 19.4%, the health-care sector slipped only 3.5% "When markets are challenged, health care can be a good place to be," Lyons added. Some of them speak to the growth aspects of health care and why you can play offense." Merger activity is another driver of growth in health care, as large pharmaceutical companies snap up nimble biotech firms that are at the forefront of developing treatments.

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Persons: Dan Lyons, Janus Henderson, shouldn't, Lyons, ImmunoGen, Seamus Fernandez, Sotatercept, Cigna, Cantor Fitzgerald, Sarah James, Fred Imbert Organizations: Big Tech, . Healthcare, Janus, Janus Henderson Investors, U.S . Food, Drug Administration's Center, Drug, Research, FDA, Esai, Pharmaceuticals, CNBC Pro, Merck, Abbott Laboratories, AbbVie, CVS Health Locations: U.S