How to Respond (cont...)

NCD Risk Factors

Expand and Harmonize Tobacco Advertising Bans.

Collective bargaining with media entities for advertising and industry for tobacco labeling would give countries more leverage. Most countries ban tobacco advertising for national media, though rarely do they try to with international media that are viewed within their own borders.

Increase and Harmonize Tobacco Taxation

The potential is for negative externalities (increased

 consumption due to access to cheaper tobacco products in neighboring countries and increased risk of smuggling resulting from such cost variations). Tax policies vary widely across countries and for different tobacco products within countries.

Strengthen Tobacco Anti-Smuggling Measures

Unchecked, smuggling will undermine advertising and tax policies designed to reduce demand and consumption.

Standardize and Mandate Food Labeling Policy

Such a policy would provide a much stronger negotiating position for countries vis-à-vis the food industry, as well as economies of scale (similar labels can be used for several countries). Regional food labeling can also assist national efforts in the growing problem of obesity, through increasing awareness of calorie content (and, possibly, complement awareness campaigns for healthy foods).

Improving Health Systems

Collaborate on Group Purchasing of Essential Medications
Increasing access and affordability of essential medications means that the negotiating power of procurement units would increase (especially in smaller countries), and bulk purchasing would reduce costs and help assure adequate supplies.

Establish a Health Technology Assessment Institution

Such a body is unsustainable in terms of resources or expertise for a single country, yet the outputs will provide critical guidance on policy development for intervention and treatment at country level.

Synergize Regional Education and Training Capacity

With the human resource gaps that most countries face, and the considerable migration around the region among health professionals, the economies of scale of sharing education and training capacity are attractive, particularly given the incipient knowledge
base and education opportunities related to the management of NCDs.

Establish a Regional Network of Surveillance and Burden Assessment

Such a network would benefit from cross-country learning. It would also see economies of scale from implementing a range of similar surveys across the region and from the collective bargaining with institutions that conduct such surveys.