The ACC on Jan. 30 announced the next phase of its Global Prevention Program – a free, online resource called the NCD Academy, which will provide primary care providers around the world with access to the most up-to-date information and resources on screening for and preventing non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

NCDs, such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes and chronic lung diseases, are the cause of over 70 percent of deaths worldwide.

The NCD Academy builds on ACC's Global Prevention Program launched in 2016 through a Pfizer partnership, to equip clinicians worldwide with the latest science, technology, resources and tools needed to stem the rising tide of cardiovascular disease and reinforce best practices in treating patients along the cardiovascular disease continuum.

After a successful pilot in China, the Global Prevention Program was extended to nine countries across the globe (Russia, Argentina, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam) – reaching 70,000 clinicians and an anticipated 69 million patients.

"The ACC is not sitting back as the global health community strives for a comprehensive solution to managing the rise of NCDs," said Salim Virani, MD, PhD, FACC, chair of the NCD Academy. "We are all members of the global health community and will be impacted by future NCD trends. Only together can we realize long-term gains on this complex and urgent issue for a healthier and more prosperous tomorrow."

NCD Academy evolved out of the recognition that the burden of NCDs extends beyond cardiovascular disease and is higher in low- and middle-income countries where screening and prevention methods are not prevalent, and NCDs are often diagnosed at very late stages.

With the continued commitment of Pfizer Upjohn, NCD Academy will provide primary care providers with a suite of online certificate programs to enhance, refresh and showcase their knowledge of techniques and therapies for NCD prevention and screening.

"Although NCDs devastate the lives of more than 40 million people around the world each year, we have the ability to do something about it; NCDs are often preventable and largely treatable," said Amrit Ray, MD, MBA, Global President, Research, Development & Medical, Pfizer Upjohn. "Upjohn is singularly focused on relieving the burden of NCDs worldwide, and we are proud to partner with the ACC to widely advance knowledge and best practices that can improve care and save lives."

The first NCD Academy course will focus on cardiovascular disease and stroke, with plans to add courses in cancer, chronic respiratory diseases, diabetes and mental disorders. The program will be open-access to reach providers in low- and middle-income countries where the NCD burden has accelerated the fastest and countermeasures and most needed.

For more on ACC's NCD efforts, visit the ACC NCD Hub.

Keywords: Global Health, Cardiovascular Diseases, Public Health, ACC International

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