The Global Fight Against Cancer

Tobacco Control Advances the Goals of the World Congress of Cardiology

Dubai, United Arab Emirates — The World Congress of Cardiology ended in Dubai this weekend with a continued emphasis on new science in cardiology (e.g multinational trial results on the effectiveness of stents in stroke prevention), as well as the role the field of cardiology will need to play in ensuring that the goals of the UN High-Level meeting on Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs) held last September in New York are met.

In that regard, the ACS's Director of Cancer Science and Trends, Dr. Thomas Glynn, was invited by the Congress organizers to present two papers proposing how cardiologists can use the WHO's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control to take on more active roles in preventing heart disease on a global level. By doing so, he argued, cardiologists can make a significant difference in NCD prevalence, since ischemic heart disease and stroke, along with cancer, represent the world's three leading causes of death.

This theme was reinforced through the conference in sessions focused on preventive cardiology (e.g. one major session focused on presentations describing recent data on how creating more smoke-free environments and changing the built environment to encourage more exercise can make cities healthier places to live and reduce the NCD burden that many global cities now bear), and by the World Heart Federation's immediate past-president, Dr. Pekka Puska/Finland, current president, Dr. Sidney Smith/USA, and incoming president and ACS Luther Terry Awardee, Dr. Srinath Reddy/India, each of whom has been exceptionally supportive of preventive cardiology throughout their careers, especially with regard to tobacco control.

The Congress concluded with the announcement the 2014 World Congress of cardiology has been awarded to Melbourne, Australia, an especially fitting venue, given Australia's leading role in global tobacco control, as evidenced by the Luther Terry Award given by the ACS last month in Singapore to Australia's Ministry of Health and Ageing."

 

America-based Bloomberg Business News Joins Global News Coverage of "We Can, We Should, We Will Conquer Cancer"

Bloomberg News

Oliver Renick

United Nations — Newly diagnosed cancer cases cost the global economy $300 billion in 2010, as illnesses once believed to be largely confined to wealthier countries took hold in developing nations, a Harvard University economist said during a press briefing hosted by the American Cancer Society Global Health Programs and the United Nations Department of Public Information. 

Tobacco use, alcohol intake, obesity and decreased physical activity have grown in poorer countries, causing the rise of cancer and diabetes, said David E. Bloom, professor of economics and demography at Harvard’s School of Public Health in Boston. Bloom and other researchers held a briefing today in advance of the United Nations High Level Meeting on noncommunicable diseases.

The Sept. 19-20 meeting will be the first gathering of the UN Assembly dealing with cancer, cardiovascular illness, chronic lung conditions and diabetes. These diseases cause 60 percent of deaths worldwide, killing 36.1 million people annually, according to an April report by theWorld Health Organization.

“Noncommunicable diseases will evolve into a staggering economic burden in the coming years,” Bloom said. “It’s a huge impediment to the mitigation of poverty.”

Bloom said treating newly diagnosed cancer cases cost $300 billion globally in 2010, and obstructive pulmonary disease -- often correlated with smoking tobacco -- costs $4 billion a year.

Not Confined to Health

“Economic policy makers like ministers of finance and ministers of planning see noncommunicable diseases as an issue confined to the health sector,” a misperception that needs to be addressed, Bloom said. “Dangers of NCDs are well-ensconced in the business screen of the world community,” he said.

The global decline in productivity due to illness and deaths from noncommunicable diseases will reach $35 trillion by 2030, Bloom said, an amount seven times larger than the current level of global health spending. Noncommunicable diseases undermine physical and human capital, as losses of labor put a burden on developing countries, he said.

“The main asset the poor possess is their labor, and that is the most threatened by the noncommunicable diseases,” Bloom said.

Cary Adams, chief executive officer of the Union for International Cancer Control, said people in poorer countries were “getting fatter, lazier, smoking too much tobacco, and eating unhealthy food.”

“It is the poorest people in the poorest nations that suffer the most,” said John Seffrin, CEO of the American Cancer Society, at the briefing.

Poverty Cycle

Seffrin said more than 80 percent of noncommunicable diseases occur in low and middle-income countries. “Noncommunicable diseases perpetuate the poverty cycle,” he said.

The estimate of the costs of noncommunicable diseases includes medical care, transportation, information and education campaigns, and productivity losses from those who die, Bloom said. Of 14,000 business executives surveyed worldwide, he said half believed that noncommunicable diseases would have a negative impact on their bottom line.

“Think about health spending as not consumption but investment,” said Bloom. “As investment that yields a handsome rate of return.”

“This is a moral issue,” Seffrin said. “Unlike other health problems in the past, we know what’s coming.”

To contact the reporter on this story: Oliver Renick in New York at [email protected]

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Reg Gale at [email protected].

 

United Nations Department of Public Information Carries Webcast of 'We Can, We Should, We Will Conquer Cancer'

The United Nations —  In order to give the greatest possible visibility to the devastating yet largely unknown burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and to build momentum around this important and historic meeting, the American Cancer Society (ACS) is hosting a three-day event titled “We Can, We Should, We Will Conquer Cancer”  from June 18 to 20 in New York City. This event aims to give NCDs a global voice and celebrate those bravely fighting the cancer burden.  The ACS joined with the UN Department of Public Information to host a press briefing to make the case for the urgent need to address cancer and other NCDs.  

Tune in to this Webcast to follow view today's briefing:   www.unmultimedia.org/tv/webcast/

Agenda

Moderator: Ms. Margaret Novicki, Chief, Communications Campaigns Service, United Nations Department of Public Information

Dr. John Seffrin, CEO,  American Cancer Society 

-        Making the Human and Economic Case to Focus on Cancer and Other NCDs 

David E. Bloom, Clarence James Gamble Professor of Economics & Demography, Harvard School of Public Health

-        New Data on economic burden of NCDs from the World Economic Forum NCD Report (to be released July 2011) 

Ambassador Rodney Charles, Permanent Representative of Trinidad and Tobago to the UN, speaking on behalf of CARICOM

• NCD Advocacy at the UN – The Road from Now Until September

Cary Adams, CEO, Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) 

 

-        The NCD Alliance and 100 Days to Action 

The American Cancer Society Gives a Global “Voice” to Non-communicable Diseases During June 18-20 Event In New York City

New York City — The American Society (ACS) is convening cancer advocates and journalists from around the world for a three-day event in New York City to help raise awareness of the global burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), like cancer. The event “We Can, We Should, We Will Conquer Cancer,” to be held June 18-20, represents an important step in the ACS continuing efforts to establish cancer and other NCDs as a global health priority. It also will help build momentum to the United Nations High-level Meeting on NCDs in September, a once-in-a-generation gathering of heads of state and global health leaders that will decide on a coordinated global response to the rising burden of NCDs.  

In order for the UN High-level Meeting on NCDs to be a success, effective campaigning and grassroots efforts will be needed so that the full needs of the cancer patient are reflected in the outcomes of the meeting. The  event will convene more than 70 cancer advocates and more than 40 journalists to help create a global “voice” to the need to tackle the growing NCD burden. For three days, participants will hear from leading health experts and take part in role-playing breakout sessions. Cancer advocates will receive training as “global cancer ambassadors,” learning effective ways in which they can advocate for cancer as a global health priority. These global cancer ambassadors will then meet with representatives of the UN mission for their country, where they will be able to conduct face-to-face meetings about NCDs with these influential stakeholders. Journalists will hear about ways in which they can help amplify the stories of cancer advocates to help build awareness of the rising global NCD burden. Several ACS staff will speak at these sessions, including Greg Bontrager, Society chief operating officer; Otis Brawley, MD, Society chief medical officer; Len Lichtenfeld, MD, Society deputy chief medical officer.

On June 20, the ACS will join with the UN Department of Public Information to hold a press conference at the UN Press Briefing Room to make the case for the urgent need to address cancer and other NCDs. Speakers will include John R. Seffrin, PhD, Society chief executive officer; Cary Adams, chief executive officer, Union for International Cancer Control (UICC); and Dr. David Bloom, chief economist, World Economic Forum.  

The American Cancer Society Joins Global Health Ministers in Moscow in Call for Action on Non-communicable Diseases

Moscow -- John R. Seffrin, PhD, Society chief executive officer, will participate in a first-ever global health ministerial conference on non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Moscow, Russia, being held from April 28-29. 

 

The ‘First Global Ministerial Conference on Healthy Lifestyles and NCD Control’ will address challenges presented by the rising global epidemic of NCDs, including cancer. On April 29, Dr. Seffrin will participate in a roundtable discussion on civil society and social mobilization. He is invited to address how the United States can help move the NCD agenda forward globally, and address challenges as well as opportunities for cancer prevention worldwide.

During the conference, 600 stakeholders and 150 thought leaders are expected to address the implementation of measures that exist today, so that millions of deaths can be prevented. These include policies that promote government action against NCDs: stronger anti-tobacco controls and promoting healthier diets, physical activity, and reducing harmful use of alcohol; along with improving access to essential health care. This conference will serve as a precursor to the United Nations High-level Meeting on NCDs that will take place in New York in September 2011. 

 WHO Global Status Report on NCDs

 Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are the leading killer globally and are on the increase, the first World Health Organization (WHO) global status report on NCDs, launched on April 27, confirms. In 2008, 36.1 million people died from conditions such as heart disease, strokes, chronic lung diseases, cancers and diabetes. Nearly 80% of these deaths occurred in low- and middle-income countries. Click here to read the full report: http://tinyurl.com/42fl7g9<>

 The report sets out statistics using global, regional and country-specific data to document the enormity of the problem, project future trends, and assess the risk factors contributing to these trends. The epidemic NCDs is driven by forces in every region: demographic aging, rapid unplanned urbanization, and the globalization of unhealthy lifestyles. While many chronic conditions develop slowly, changes in behaviors are occurring with a stunning global speed

 Cardiovascular diseases account for most NCD deaths, or 17 million people annually, followed by cancer (7.6 million), respiratory disease (4.2 million), and diabetes (1.3 million).  

These four groups of diseases account for around 80% of all NCD deaths, and share four common risk factors:

 •   Tobacco use

•   Physical inactivity

•   The harmful use of alcohol

•   Poor diet

 

 

 

The American Cancer Society Announced Tobacco Control Commitment at Clinton Global Initiative

This week during the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) Annual Meeting in New York City, American Cancer Society CEO Dr. John Seffrin announced the Society's "commitment" to the global cancer crisis through our efforts to prevent a tobacco pandemic in Sub-Saharan Africa. As a member of the Clinton Global Health Initiative, Seffrin was asked to speak during a special session titled "Addressing Cancer in the Developing World: Health Equity and an Overlooked Public Health Crisis." He said the Society is addressing the global cancer crisis through our work in the Africa Tobacco Control Consortium, a multi-partner program that advocates for the creation of smoke-free places, strict tobacco control policies, and increased tobacco taxes in Sub-Saharan Africa. This standing-room-only cancer session included many dignitaries and was moderated by Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN's chief medical correspondent. Panelists included Lance Armstrong; Dr. Paul Farmer, co-founder, Partners in Health; Dr. Felicia Knaul, director, Harvard Global Equity Initiative; Her Royal Highness Princess Dina Mired, director general, King Hussein Cancer Foundation; and Dr. Charles-Patrick Almazor, director, Public Sector Partnership.

American Cancer Society in China Prior to the UICC Conference: Hosting Advocacy Workshop, Participating in Global Health Partnerships Program

American Cancer Society Chief Operating Officer Greg Bontrager (center) speaks with workshop participants in Hong Kong.

 

Prior to the start of the UICC World Cancer Congress 2010 in Shenzhen, China, the American Cancer Society hosted the final workshop as part of its Asia Regional Cancer Control Program in Hong Kong from August 12-15. More than 30 representatives from the program’s ten grantee organizations attended the event, which focused on cancer control advocacy principles and practices. The workshop featured regional guest speakers such as Jack Sim, a global activist for water and sanitation facilities in low-resource settings, Ken Hanioka and Ryoji Noritake of Health Policy Institute Japan, Ratih Hardjono, a prominent advocacy and communications expert based in Indonesia, and representatives of the Hong Kong Anti-Cancer Society. American Cancer Society Immediate Past President Elizabeth “Terry” Fontham, MPH, DrPH, presented a module on advocacy collaborations. American Cancer Society Chief Operating Officer Greg Bontrager facilitated an executive roundtable to discuss advocacy as it relates to program sustainability as well as future engagement of the Society with regional stakeholders. Grantees developed national advocacy workplans as part of the workshop and identified areas of regional overlap. Attendees also offered input on the Society’s global advocacy strategy and ideas for mobilizing grassroots partners throughout Southeast Asia in a noncommunicable disease campaign. The workshop was funded through a grant to the American Cancer Society by the Pfizer Foundation and was attended by Pfizer Asia representatives. The grant-funded program will continue through December 2010.

  

In addition, American Cancer Society staff participated in a workshop for Global Health Partnerships initiative grantees in Shenzhen, China, in advance of the UICC World Cancer Congress 2010. The workshop convened cancer and tobacco control organizations from around the world to discuss program sustainability. The American Cancer Society manages three projects funded by the initiative: the Asia Regional Cancer Control Program, the Latin America Regional Health Grants Program, and the Smokefree at Work (Travaillons Sans Fumee) program in North Africa. Collectively, these programs have directly engaged a total of 32 nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and nearly 150,000 stakeholders (including screened individuals, companies, policymakers, youth, and volunteers), and reached millions through informational materials, media, and research. American Cancer Society staff Johanna Ralston, vice president, Global Strategies, and Alessandra Durstine, vice president, Regional Programs, presented at the workshop on strategic fundraising and grassroots advocacy for noncommunicable disease. In addition, eight Asia program grantees were supported through the American Cancer Society’s grant to attend the workshop and UICC conference. The Global Health Partnerships initiative is funded by Pfizer Foundation and Pfizer, Inc. The American Cancer Society has been a grantee since 2007 and the Society’s grant-funded programs will continue through 2010 and early 2011.

 

Day Four at the UICC Conference: Community Mobilization, Cervical Cancer Prevention, Conference Closing Ceremony

John Seffrin, PhD, national chief executive officer, American Cancer Society (right), and Doug Ulman, president and chief executive officer, LIVESTRONG (left), deliver a report on the World Cancer Leaders' Summit, held earlier in the week at the UICC World Cancer Congress 2010, at the closing ceremony of the conference on Day Four.

 

The American Cancer Society participated in more conference sessions during the fourth and final day of the UICC World Cancer Congress 2010. The following are highlights of those activities.

  

  

A morning session titled “Actions for System Change: Community Mobilization Strategies for the 21^st Century” featured a dialogue with John Seffrin, PhD, national chief executive officer, American Cancer Society, and Doug Ulman, president and chief executive officer, LIVESTRONG^®. Dr. Seffrin and Mr. Ulman shared their views on programs and methods that are most effective in mobilizing communities to take action on cancer control. Dr. Seffrin cited the American Cancer Society Relay For Life^® as a prime example of a program that empowers people in the United States and around the world to raise greater awareness about cancer issues and raise funding to fight back against cancer. Dr. Seffrin also highlighted the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network^SM (ACS CAN), a sister organization of the American Cancer Society, as a model organization that effectively advocates on cancer issues and influences policymakers in the United States to create laws that address the needs of those affected by cancer and promote cancer prevention and early detection. Mr. Ulman remarked on the importance of collaboration among global cancer control organizations and the use of social media in creating greater awareness around the world about cancer issues and what cancer control organizations are doing to combat the growing global burden of cancer. Both of them agreed that next year’s United Nations special summit on noncommunicable diseases, including cancer, will be essential for positive public policy change on the global burden of cancer.

  

  

The American Cancer Society participated in another conference session addressing cervical cancer prevention. American Cancer Society Immediate Past President Elizabeth “Terry” Fontham, MPH, DrPH, and Johanna Ralston, vice president, Global Strategies, American Cancer Society, were among the speakers for this session. Dr. Fontham spoke about the need for cervical cancer prevention worldwide, and mentioned some specific needs for prevention methods in Africa. Dr. Fontham presented case studies on cervical cancer prevention work in Guatemala and Nicaragua as best practices for prevention of the disease. This conference session was co-chaired by South Africa First Lady Madame Madiba-Zuma, a strong advocate for addressing women’s cancer issues in South Africa and across the continent. Madame Zuma talked about the challenges of cervical cancer control in her country and her role as the current chair of the Forum of African First Ladies Against Breast & Cervical Cancer, launched last year in South Africa by Madame Zuma and several fellow African first ladies to promote greater awareness of breast and cervical cancer issues throughout Africa.

  

  

In other conference sessions during the day, American Cancer Society Chief Medical Officer Otis Brawley, MD, gave a presentation in a conference session on “Balancing Public Messages on Screening: Risks, Benefits, and Guidelines.” Rijo M. John, PhD, director, international tobacco control research, American Cancer Society, led a conference session focusing on the findings from a major report released earlier this week by the American Cancer Society and LIVESTRONG, “The Global Economic Cost of Cancer.” Dr. John served as a co-author on the report along with Hana Ross, PhD, strategic director, international tobacco control research, American Cancer Society.

  

  

In the late afternoon, many conference participants gathered for the closing ceremony for the UICC World Cancer Congress. One of the main presentations of this closing ceremony was a report on the World Cancer Leaders’ Summit delivered by Dr. John Seffrin and Doug Ulman, who discussed the outcomes from the Summit held on the second day of the conference. UICC representatives announced that their organization will be changing its official name in English to the “Union for International Cancer Control” (until now, the name has been the “International Union Against Cancer”). UICC representatives also announced that there were more than 3,200 participants at this year’s conference, and that they looked forward to seeing these participants again at the next UICC World Cancer Congress, to be held two years from now in Montreal, Canada.

  

Overall, this year’s UICC World Cancer Congress was a successful event. American Cancer Society staff and volunteer leadership played influential roles in many conference sessions. In addition, the American Cancer Society hosted 20 Africa and Asia grantees at the conference as part of a strategic to leverage on-the-ground expertise to align with the Society’s global goals to elevate global cancer and tobacco control on the world’s health agenda. Participation in the conference helped these partners by granting them access to international peers, emerging evidence, and information on global campaigns.

UICC Conference, Day Three: ACS-Sponsored Session on Tobacco Control in Sub-Saharan Africa, Other Conference Sessions and Activities

George W.P. Atkins, chair, National Board of Directors, American Cancer Society, moderates a panel discussion during an ACS-sponsored conference session on tobacco control in sub-Saharan Africa.

 

The American Cancer Society sponsored and participated in several high-profile sessions and meetings during the third day of the UICC World Cancer Congress 2010. The following are highlights of those activities.

 

The American Cancer Society sponsored a session for conference participants at the UICC World Cancer Congress addressing “The Last Opportunity to Prevent a Tobacco Epidemic in Sub-Saharan Africa.” The session gave an overview of the growing tobacco burden on sub-Saharan Africa and the efforts of the American Cancer Society and other nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) to combat this growing epidemic through global cancer advocacy and educating the media. The panel discussion at the session was moderated by American Cancer Society volunteer George W.P. Atkins, chair, National Board of Directors, American Cancer Society. Speakers on the panel included Nathan Grey, MPH, national vice president, Global Health, American Cancer Society; Dr. Judith Mackay, senior advisor, World Lung Foundation; Patricia Lambert, director, International Legal Consortium, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids; and Anso Thom, print editor, Health-e news service in South Africa. Mr. Grey spoke about the American Cancer Society’s new global strategy on cancer advocacy and tobacco control. A large part of this new strategy includes the new African Tobacco Control Consortium, a global coalition of public health-oriented organizations led and coordinated by the American Cancer Society and funded with a $7 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which uses evidence-based approaches to stem the growing tobacco epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa. The other panelists spoke about the negative impacts of tobacco use and tobacco industry practices on the continent, and how the media can help inform the public and influence policymakers on tobacco control laws.

 

American Cancer Society Chief Medical Officer Otis Brawley, MD, spoke at two conference sessions, “Seeking Civil Society Involvement in Global Policy – The WHO and UICC Partnership-Tobacco Control Programmes” and “Latest Developments in GYN Cancer: Cervix, Endometrial, and Ovarian.” In a conference session on “Dispelling Global Cancer Myths Through Engaging Journalists,” American Cancer Society staff Alessandra Durstine, vice president, Regional Programs, and Cristina Parsons Perez, PhD, program manager, Latin America Programs, gave presentations on best practices for cancer control NGOs to leverage the power of the media to foster an open and evidence-based dialogue around cancer. Other Society staff and volunteer leadership participated in sessions that examined smoke-free settings and strategic approaches to public-private branding of cancer organizations.

 

In other conference-related activities and news:

 

• John Seffrin, PhD, national chief executive officer, American Cancer Society, and Doug Ulman, chief executive officer, LIVESTRONG, met with journalists from the Reuters news organization to discuss the newly released ACS/LIVESTRONG report “The Global Economic Cost of Cancer.”

 

• Elizabeth “Terry” Fontham, MPH, DrPH, immediate past president, American Cancer Society, met with South Africa’s First Lady Madame Tobeka Zuma to discuss cervical cancer issues in South Africa.

 

• An article appeared in China Daily, the largest English language news organization in mainland China, which addressed China’s “lethal habit” of smoking and referenced the newly released American Cancer Society and World Lung Foundation publication The Tobacco Atlas, Third Edition in Chinese, launched yesterday at the UICC World Cancer Congress in China. The article also included observations on tobacco use in developing countries from Dr. John Seffrin.

 

UICC Conference, Day Two: World Cancer Leaders’ Summit, ‘Tobacco Atlas’ Press Conference, ACS/LIVESTRONG Joint Dinner

Dr. John Seffrin, chief executive officer, American Cancer Society, addresses participants at the World Cancer Leaders' Summit at the UICC World Cancer Congress 2010 in China. See more photos of ACS activities at the conference below the article.

  

  

The American Cancer Society co-hosted and participated in several high-profile events during the second day of the UICC World Cancer Congress 2010. The following are highlights of those activities.

  

The American Cancer Society co-sponsored the World Cancer Leaders’ Summit, a major gathering of cancer control leaders from around the world representing health, government, nongovernmental organization (NGO), and corporate sectors. Other sponsors for the Summit included the International Union Against Cancer (UICC), LIVESTRONG^® (Lance Armstrong Foundation), the World Economic Forum, and the World Health Organization (WHO). John Seffrin, PhD, national chief executive officer, American Cancer Society, and a former president of the UICC, joined other internationally recognized cancer control experts in discussing progress in the global fight against cancer and contributions to a long-term plan supporting the implementation of the World Cancer Declaration. The World Cancer Declaration is a global call to action by policymakers describing 11 targets that, if achieved, will help reverse the cancer epidemic. Following the Summit, Dr. Seffrin and other leaders took questions from journalists at a press briefing.

  

The American Cancer Society and World Lung Foundation (WLF) launched the Chinese language version of The Tobacco Atlas, Third Edition, at a standing-room only press conference at the UICC World Cancer Congress. The book, co-published by the American Cancer Society and World Lung Foundation, presents the latest data on global tobacco use and tobacco control, displaying much of the data in full color maps and charts. About 40 journalists covered the event, asking many questions of the speakers. Those speakers included Dr. John Seffrin; Dr. Judith Mackay, Tobacco Atlas co-author, senior advisor to WLF, and senior policy advisor to the WHO; Peter Baldini, chief executive officer, World Lung Foundation; Professor Gong-Huan Yang, deputy director of the China Center for Disease Control (China CDC); and Cary Adams, chief executive officer, UICC. Dr. Seffrin stressed the importance of The Tobacco Atlas as a valuable resource for tobacco control advocates and policymakers worldwide. He also noted that the data from The Tobacco Atlas will be critical for policymakers in China as they address the growing tobacco burden in their country. Dr. Mackay echoed Dr. Seffrin’s assessment of the book, emphasizing that important information on tobacco use and control can be found on every page. Dr. Mackay, who is based in Hong Kong, also made several observations about the harmful effects of tobacco use on China’s economy and public health. For more information about The Tobacco Atlas, please visit http://tobaccoatlas.org

  

In the evening, the American Cancer Society and LIVESTRONG co-hosted a dinner for UICC conference participants. The dinner, titled “The Cost of Cancer,” featured speakers who addressed the economic costs wrought by cancer worldwide. Those speakers included Dr. John Seffrin; Doug Ulman, president and chief executive officer, LIVESTRONG; Dr. Serigne Gueye, president, African Organisation for Research & Training in Cancer (AORTIC); and Her Royal Highness Princess Dina Mired of Jordan. Dr. Seffrin’s remarks focused on the new report ‘The Global Economic Cost of Cancer,’ released earlier this week by the American Cancer Society and LIVESTRONG. Dr. Seffrin described some stunning findings from the report which demonstrate how cancer has become the world’s top “economic killer” in addition to its being the leading cause of death worldwide.

Speakers at the press conference for the launch of the Chinese version of The Tobacco Atlas, Third Edition. From left to right: Dr. John Seffrin, national chief executive officer; American Cancer Society; Professor Gong-Huan Yang, deputy director, China CDC; Dr. Judith Mackay, Tobacco Atlas co-author, senior advisor to WLF, and senior policy advisor to the WHO; Peter Baldini, chief executive officer, WLF; Cary Adams, president, UICC.

 
Dr. Judith Mackay showing a section of The Tobacco Atlas during the press conference.

 

 
Some of the 40 journalists and other guests who attended the press conference.

 

Dr. John Seffrin speaking at the ACS/LIVESTRONG joint dinner.

  

Doug Ulman, president and chief executive officer, LIVESTRONG, at the Society/LIVESTRONG joint dinner.