The Lung Ambition Alliance and the World Economic Forum (WEF) have launched a new collaboration to transform outcomes in lung cancer and improve the sustainability of health systems, with the broader target of reducing premature deaths from non-communicable diseases by one-third by 2030, the focus of the United Nations’ (UN) Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3.4. ¹

Together, we held an affiliated session on lung cancer at the recent Sustainable Development Impact Summit on 23 September, which brought together high-level non-governmental organisation representatives, healthcare leaders and industry to drive multi-sector collaboration for the elimination of lung cancer as a leading cause of premature cancer death.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death, and addressing this disease is a critical element of achieving SDG 3.4.² Earlier this year, the Cost of Inaction report made the case for targeted lung cancer screening programmes as the next big opportunity to reduce cancer deaths. Now the WEF has recognised the potential of taking action on lung cancer to help drive efficiencies and save lives across health systems worldwide. WEF has partnered with the LAA to target lung cancer deaths as a key part of meeting the UN’s sustainability goal.

Ensuring the sustainability of healthcare systems was a key topic of concern prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since the pandemic began, health systems across the globe have been affected by additional demands on resources and staff, making it more important than ever that healthcare professionals are able to provide the best possible care both now and for years to come.

The affiliate session at the WEF Summit, ‘Delivering the Promise of SDG 3.4: Reducing Premature Mortality from Lung Cancer’ called for a coordinated global action on lung cancer and invited interested parties to join the broader collaboration working for change.

Mohit Manrao, Vice-President and Global Franchise Head for Lung Cancer at AstraZeneca, said, “Cancer accounts for around one third of all premature deaths from non-communicable diseases, and lung cancer is the biggest cause of cancer death globally. This partnership adds significant strength and voice to the ongoing efforts of the Lung Ambition Alliance to eliminate lung cancer as a cause of death.”

1. United Nations. Sustainable Development Goals. Available online at: https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/health/. Last accessed September 2021

2. World Health Organization. Cancer Factsheet, updated March 2021. Available online at: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/cancer. Last accessed September 2021