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More than 1.2 million people in the Americas die from cancer every year, including men, women and children. Thirty percent of them could escape this outcome by adopting a healthy life style. More than 250,000 people could prevent the disease by avoiding use of tobacco. Through vaccination against human papilloma virus (HPV) and screenings, 80,000 new cases could be prevented. Many types of cancer can be cured if detected early and treated adequately.

Two-thirds of future cancer cases will be in developing countries

Cancer cases are projected to increase by more than two-thirds worldwide over the next 20 years—from 12.7 million in 2008 to 21.4 million by 2030. However, an estimated 30–40 percent of these cases could be prevented, say experts at the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) and the Union for International Cancer Control.

Initiative of Regulatory Authorities of Regional Reference Continues its Progress

Representatives of the Regulatory Authorities of Regional Reference and members of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) gathered this week at PAHO headquarters, in order to explore other possibilities for technical cooperation and exchange information on progress in the plans cooperation between the organization and sanitary control systems for medicines and health technologies.

Consultative Working Group to Draft New PAHO Budget Policy

A special working group made up of representatives of six Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) member countries is meeting this week (Feb. 1–3) to discuss and draft a new budget policy that will guide the allocation of resources within the Organization starting in 2014. Once finalized, the new policy will be presented for approval by all PAHO Member States during the Pan American Sanitary Conference in September 2012.

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