Grand Challenges in Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases

The Grand Challenges in Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases focuses attention on the diseases, risk factors and possible approaches to address these conditions, including prevention, diagnosis and treatment options.

Based on a modified model used to identify the Grand Challenges in Global Health, an initiative of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the US Foundation for the National Institutes of Heath, the Grand Challenges in Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases asked a large Panel of international experts the following question:

What do you think are the Grand Challenges in Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases?

For the purposes of this study we defined Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases as:

Diseases or conditions that occur in, or are known to affect, individuals over an extensive period of time and for which there are no known causative agents that are transmitted from one affected individual to another. For the purpose of this study the major focus is on cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, chronic respiratory diseases and certain cancers. Commonly known risk factors for these include lack of exercise, improper diet and smoking.
 
We define a Grand Challenge as:

A specific critical barrier that if removed would help to solve an important health problem. The intervention(s) it could lead to might be innovative and, if successfully implemented, will have a high likelihood of impact and feasibility.
 
This study was carried out using the Delphi methodology, which uses a semi-structured process of building group consensus on a specific judgment issue through 3 rounds of email interactions with an International Panel of experts. Round 1 was focused on content acquisition and problem identification while the subsequent two rounds were devoted to consensus building.

Throughout the three rounds, responses were received from 155 International Panel Members. Members of our panel included recognised chronic non-communicable disease stakeholders including policymakers, NGOs, businesses, youth, academics and researchers. Special consideration was given based on gender and geographical distribution. An Executive Committee and a Scientific Board were also established for this study to provide guidance and validate the panel's findings.

The three rounds of the Delphi process resulted in a final list of 20 Grand Challenges, which the Executive Committee and Scientific Board grouped together under six priority areas or goals in October 2007. An article summarising the research process and outcomes has been published in Nature magazine on 22 November 2007. The article also suggest the next steps needed to ensure that the six key goals are met.

The result of the Grand Challenges in Chronic Non-communicable Diseases will be of great value for the future prevention and management of CNCDs by informing people and organisations involved in implementing health-related interventions and those funding health-related research.

Funding for this project has been provided by the Oxford Health Alliance, the UK Medical Research Council and the Canadian Institutes for Health Research.

To watch a video on how these recommendations were generated, click here
 
Click on the link below to view the Nature Paper

http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v450/n7169/full/450494a.html

To watch an interview with Abdallah Daar during the 2008 Oxford Health Alliance Summit, click here. Go to the 'Video Bulletins' link at the bottom of the page, click the green circle where it reads 'Interviews from the Summit', then click on 'Abdallah Daar' at the top right hand column.