The Global Fight Against Cancer

The American Cancer Society writes about the growing burden of noncommunicable diseases in InterAction's monthly magazine

In an article that appears in the December 2010 issue of  Interaction’s Monday Developments magazine, the American Cancer Society challenges the widely held assumption that noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) , which include cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, respiratory disease, and cancer, are wealthy countries’ diseases and do not constitute a threat for low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The piece, titled “Time to Transform Global Health: Incorporating noncommunicable diseases into global public health efforts,” presents current scientific evidence on the global epidemiological transition and changing burden of diseases and highlights the discrepancy between the growing burden of NCDs and the actual low prioritization of this issue on the global health and development agenda. Outlining the objectives of the September 2011 UN High-level Meeting on NCDs, the article stresses the importance of a commitment on behalf of heads of states toward the prevention and control of these diseases.

InterAction is an organization that acts as an alliance between about 200 US-based NGOs working in the field of global poverty relief and encourages collaboration on tackling global challenges from different perspectives. Their monthly magazine, Monday Developments, features information about InterAction’s members, as well as in-depth news and commentary on global trends that affect relief, refugee, and development work.

To read the article, please click on this link to visit the American Cancer Society’s Global Health Web site.

Conference of the Parties of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control meet for their fourth session in Punta del Este, Uruguay

The fourth session of the Conference of the Parties (COP) of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) is under way this week in Punta del Este, Uruguay.

The COP, which is comprised of the countries that have ratified the World Health Organization’s global tobacco treaty and acts as the governing body for the treaty, meets bi-annually and strives for the effective implementation of the treaty. The American Cancer Society has been a key participant in, and supporter of, the FCTC process since it began in 1999.

Throughout the COP, a wide range of issues of vital importance to tobacco control are being discussed. These include the development of consistent and effective tobacco tax policies, the regulation of tobacco products, the development of global guidelines for the treatment of tobacco dependence, and the consideration of a formal process for the monitoring and evaluation of the FCTC, among others. Another important issue being addressed is the global control of tobacco smuggling, which constitutes a particular threat for population health by increasing the affordability of tobacco and therefore encouraging higher tobacco use.

Dr. Margaret Chan, director-general of the WHO, addressing the COP during from Geneva.

The weeklong event opened on Monday with an address by Uruguayan President José Mujica, who thanked the delegates for their support of Uruguay’s fight against the multinational tobacco industry in its efforts to remain a leader in tobacco control in Latin America. Mujica also said he plans to continue the strong tobacco control policies established by his predecessor, Dr. Tabaré Vázquez, who also spoke on Monday. In addition, Dr. Margaret Chan, director-general of the WHO, addressed the COP from Geneva. She highlighted the unprecedented progress in global tobacco control since the adoption of the FCTC, but warned against the unprecedented attacks by the tobacco industry as it seeks to maintain its profits worldwide.

On November 17, Articles 9 and 10 of the treaty, which deal with the crucial issue of tobacco product regulation, were the subject of comments, questions, and debates, given their particular relevance to address the strategies used by the tobacco industry to increase the “attractiveness” of cigarettes to youth, notably cigarette flavoring.Today’s discussions are focusing on the following FCTC provisions: Article 12, (on the provision of evidence-based tobacco information to the public; Article 14 (tobacco dependence treatment); and Articles 17 and 18 (tobacco crop substitution and agricultural issues, respectively).

This COP comes at a crucial time because it is the last meeting of this group before the high-level meeting on the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) in September at the United Nations. The decisions reached in Punta del Este will have a direct effect on the conduct and outcome of the U.N. summit and subsequent approaches to the control of NCDs worldwide, given the central role of tobacco as a root cause of the major NCDs, including heart and lung disease, diabetes, and cancer.

Representatives from the American Cancer Society’s Global Tobacco Control programs are in Punta del Este this week and are reporting on the main events on Twitter .