NEW YORK CITY – A painstakingly negotiated Political Declaration on Noncommunicable Diseases with overwhelming support from UN member states failed to win formal endorsement at a special High Level Session of the General Assembly (GA) Thursday – after the United States torpedoed its adoption by consensus. The last minute moves means that the draft declaration […] Continue reading ->
On 25 September, world leaders will gather at the United Nations for the Fourth High-Level Meeting on Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs). It comes at a pivotal moment: funding for global health has plummeted, while NCDs like heart disease, cancer and diabetes continue to claim 75% of all lives lost worldwide. This amid recent efforts to water […] Continue reading ->
WHO’s 2025 Essential Medicines Lists (EML), published Friday, has included the active ingredients in popular weight loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy –  semaglutide or other comparable  GLP-1 receptor agonists – in a recommendation that recognizes the growing importance of the drugs in clinical treatment of diabetes worldwide.  These drugs, as well as new PD-1/PD-L1 […] Continue reading ->
For the first time since the 1990s, the World Health Organization has been asked by member states to update its assessment on the health impacts of nuclear war, although not without significant resistance, led by Russia and North Korea, but also including many other major nuclear states.  The resolution calling for an updated assessment of […] Continue reading ->
Investing in as little as $0.24 per patient per year in digital health interventions – telemedicine, mobile messaging, and chatbots – could significantly lower the burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), says a new report from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Telecommunication Union (UTI). These interventions could avert 2 million deaths and 7 […] Continue reading ->
GENEVA – Ensuring that universal health coverage (UHC) protects cancer patients and tackling commercial interests driving cancer were two issues in the spotlight of the World Cancer Congress. Speakers stressed that they need to make their mark at the United Nations (UN) High-Level Meeting (HLM) on Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) in 2025, ensuring a bold rethinking […] Continue reading ->
Geneva, Switzerland—The 2024 World Cancer Congress opened Tuesday in Geneva, bringing together more than 2,000 delegates from more than 120 countries. Its convener said the congress underscores a global commitment to combating the growing burden of cancer. Hosted by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), the congress aims to foster collaboration amongst cancer and […] Continue reading ->