A global initiative designed to strengthen research into non-communicable diseases and improve collaboration between rich and poorer countries has been launched in London.

The Centre for Global Non-Communicable Diseases at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine aims to foster new studies and ensure research evidence is acted upon by policymakers.

Neil Pearce, its director, said, “Non-communicable diseases are becoming incredibly important globally, and while there’s a lot happening it’s not particularly well coordinated.

“We need researchers in different diseases and different countries—low, middle income, and high income—to communicate more with each other. We can …