The document discusses the history and development of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) over 150 years from its origins in William Farr's work in the mid-19th century to the current revision process for ICD-11. It notes that ICD-11 aims to evolve as a multi-purpose classification that can serve various uses in an electronic environment and be linked to other clinical terminologies and ontologies. The development includes creating a foundation component with detailed disease descriptions and linearizations tailored for specific uses such as mortality statistics and primary care.