TACKLING THE GLOBAL RISE OF NON-COMMUNICABLE DISEASES: THE UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY SUMMIT The New York Times and The University of Southern California

TACKLING THE GLOBAL RISE OF NON-COMMUNICABLE DISEASES:

THE UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY SUMMIT

The New York Times and The University of Southern California

Present New Online Course

Much of the world faces a rising epidemic of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as cancer, heart and lung disease, obesity, and diabetes. For those interested in learning more about why this epidemic is taking place and the steps being taken to control it, The New York Times Knowledge Network and The University of Southern California present a new one-week online course, “Tackling the Global Rise of Non-Communicable Diseases – The UN General Assembly Summit.”

This course, taught by Heather Wipfli, Ph.D. and Jonathan M. Samet, M.D., M.S, will be timed to correspond with developments that unfold at the UN General Assembly Summit on NCDs to be held in New York, September 19-26. The Summit represents the first time ever that the UN General Assembly will hold a summit involving heads of state to address the threat of NCDs to low- and middle-income countries and only the second time the General Assembly has held a special summit to address a health issue (the other for HIV in 2001, which led to the establishment of the Global Fund for HIV/Aids, TB and Malaria). The UN Summit will highlight the role of global “actors” and actions in addressing global health problems.

The course will cover a variety of topics relating to NCDs, including:

• The factors driving the NCD epidemic, e.g. the tobacco and food industries
• The burden posed by these diseases
• The efforts to control the NCD epidemic

“Tackling the Global Rice (sic) of Non-Communicable Diseases” will run from September 16-23, 2011. To register for this new online course or for more information, please visit:

http://www.nytimesknownow.com/index.php/tackling-the-global-rise-of-non-communicable-diseases/.

This course is part of The USC and New York Times Knowledge Network online continuing education program (www.nytimes.com/usc), which offers students tailored, practical programs to enhance their professional paths, and the flexibility of online courses for both working and non-working adults. Courses feature USC faculty, in addition to New York Times journalists.

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This press release is reprinted by Alanna Shaikh out of an obscure sense of guilt. It does not represent the opinions of Alanna Shaikh or any of her employers.