The World Health Report 2002 Establishment and support of new risk intervention research. Substantial public fund ing is required to undertake relevant research studies, particularly in developing coun tries, and to establish and develop regional centres of excellence in risk intervention research, training and advice. New research is needed, firstly, to compare risk percep tions in cross-national studies; secondly, to gather data on the frequency of risk fac tors and their levels in middle and low income populations; and thirdly, to evaluate the effectiveness and costs of different combinations of interventions. Strong sup port from the multilateral agencies and international donor and scientific communi- ties will be essential Coordination of research activities in different sectors. Given the complex and interdisciplinary nature of risk intervention research, coordination of both support and funding will be necessary at national and international levels. In countries this may require the establishment of new initiatives, such as research funds, specialized research units, appo lent scientific advisers, and creation of new and independent scientific advisory committees that are free from political controls URGENT NEED FOR INTERNATIONAL ACTION This report has documented the substantial gains in healthy life expectancy that populations everywhere can expect from even modest reductions in exposure to major risk factors such as underweight, unsafe sex, tobacco use and elevated blood pressure. Scientific many of which are already causing a large amount of disease burden. This burden is expected to increase dramatically unless widespread action is taken by individuals, civil society, governments and international organizations. For example, the consumption of tobacco could be substantially reduced, particularly in developing countries. Enough reliable information exists about the causes of disease and injury to act today to reduce drastically the disease burden and achieve the potential gains foreseen in this report. Moreover, substantial agreement on what needs to be done also exists between the international scientific community and those charged with improving the public health Strategies to achieve these potential gains, particularly in developing countries, ought to involve a question of balance. It is a balance between the priority of sharply reducing the burden from exposures such as underweight and poor water and sanitation, which are largely confined to poorer populations, and the priority of reducing or preventing further population exposure to factors such as tobacco, elevated blood pressure and cholesterol To achieve a truly healthier future, risk management strategies will need to focus lultaneously on what are now global risks to health, and not just on the more immediate challenges to survival. The World Health Organization and other parties in international development have a clear role to ensure that scientific knowledge is translated into action and to guide and encourage the global health community(see Box 6.3). This may well require a readiness to overcome opposition from influential special interest groups and powerful corporations that have most to lose from policies aimed at improving risk prevention and strengthening As this report shows, much is already known about how to reduce effectively risks to health That reduction will require sustained policy action and commitment by governments and other partners. Key elements of this commitment will be the creation or strengthening of national institutions to implement and evaluate risk reduction programmes, and more156 The World Health Report 2002 • Establishment and support of new risk intervention research. Substantial public fund￾ing is required to undertake relevant research studies, particularly in developing coun￾tries, and to establish and develop regional centres of excellence in risk intervention research, training and advice. New research is needed, firstly, to compare risk percep￾tions in cross-national studies; secondly, to gather data on the frequency of risk fac￾tors and their levels in middle and low income populations; and thirdly, to evaluate the effectiveness and costs of different combinations of interventions. Strong sup￾port from the multilateral agencies and international donor and scientific communi￾ties will be essential. • Coordination of research activities in different sectors. Given the complex and interdisciplinary nature of risk intervention research, coordination of both support and funding will be necessary at national and international levels. In countries this may require the establishment of new initiatives, such as research funds, specialized research units, appointment of government scientific advisers, and creation of new and independent scientific advisory committees that are free from political controls. URGENT NEED FOR INTERNATIONAL ACTION This report has documented the substantial gains in healthy life expectancy that populations everywhere can expect from even modest reductions in exposure to major risk factors such as underweight, unsafe sex, tobacco use and elevated blood pressure. Scientific uncertainty should not be allowed to delay the control of large and important risk factors, many of which are already causing a large amount of disease burden. This burden is expected to increase dramatically unless widespread action is taken by individuals, civil society, governments and international organizations. For example, the consumption of tobacco could be substantially reduced, particularly in developing countries. Enough reliable information exists about the causes of disease and injury to act today to reduce drastically the disease burden and achieve the potential gains foreseen in this report. Moreover, substantial agreement on what needs to be done also exists between the international scientific community and those charged with improving the public health. Strategies to achieve these potential gains, particularly in developing countries, ought to involve a question of balance. It is a balance between the priority of sharply reducing the burden from exposures such as underweight and poor water and sanitation, which are largely confined to poorer populations, and the priority of reducing or preventing further population exposure to factors such as tobacco, elevated blood pressure and cholesterol. To achieve a truly healthier future, risk management strategies will need to focus simultaneously on what are now global risks to health, and not just on the more immediate challenges to survival. The World Health Organization and other parties in international development have a clear role to ensure that scientific knowledge is translated into action and to guide and encourage the global health community (see Box 6.3). This may well require a readiness to overcome opposition from influential special interest groups and powerful corporations that have most to lose from policies aimed at improving risk prevention and strengthening regulatory practices. As this report shows, much is already known about how to reduce effectively risks to health. That reduction will require sustained policy action and commitment by governments and other partners. Key elements of this commitment will be the creation or strengthening of national institutions to implement and evaluate risk reduction programmes, and more