World leaders sign up to tackle causes of non-communicable diseases

More than 30 world leaders and 100 senior ministers representing the 192 member states of the United Nations signed a political agreement at the UN General Assembly this week, agreeing to tackle the world’s major non-communicable diseases: diabetes, lung disease, cancer, and cardiovascular disease.

It marks the end of months of negotiations among the member states in which factions have wrangled over the need for greater regulation to reduce some of the key risk factors in these diseases: consumption of alcohol, tobacco, processed foods, and salt. Other sticking points were opening up access to essential drugs, such as those for diabetes and cancer, by relaxing intellectual property agreements.

The final document, …