Rachel Nugent discusses global threat of non-communicable diseases on Capitol Hill

WASHINGTON— The threat of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in low- and middle-income countries is rising quickly. Addressing NCDs is an important part of meeting the global health and development targets of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, according to Rachel Nugent, Ph.D., vice president of RTI International’s global non-communicable diseases initiative, who recently spoke on Capitol Hill.

NCDs include cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, respiratory illness, and mental illness, among others. In 2013 alone, these diseases killed 8 million people under the age of 60 in low- and middle-income countries. NCDs are impacting people, health systems, and societies worldwide.

 The Congressional briefing, co-hosted by RTI and the NCD Roundtable, featured findings from a new Eli Lilly report on the productivity impacts posed by non-communicable diseases in low- and middle-income countries.

Other speakers at the briefing included:

• Thomas Bollyky, senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations
• Paul Holmes, director of federal relations at the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network and co-chair of the NCD roundtable
• Orrin Marcella, executive of government affairs and policy at General Electric and co-chair of the NCD Roundtable, and
• John Steele, senior director for International Government Affairs at Eli Lilly.

 Aaron Williams, executive vice president of Government Relations and Corporate Communications at RTI International, gave closing remarks and emphasized RTI's intent to play a key role in global NCD strategy.

Learn more about RTI’s efforts to address the growing burden of non-communicable diseases here.