Making the case for NCD prevention

Following a well-attended side event at the fourth High-level Meeting on Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) and Mental Health in September 2025, this online webinar is being organised to provide an introduction to NCDSim for those who were unable to attend or who wish to learn more.

NCDSim is a Swedish simulation tool - developed in collaboration between the Public Health Agency of Sweden, the Swedish Cancer Society (Cancerfonden), and the Swedish Heart-Lung Foundation - that illustrates how lifestyle factors impact the development of two major NCDs - cardiovascular disease and cancer.

The tool demonstrates the population-level impact of risk factors such as smoking, diet, obesity, alcohol consumption, and physical activity. It enables scenario-based calculations of how the risk factors affect incidence, mortality and related healthcare costs. NCDSim makes it possible to visualise the long-term effects and the impact that can be achieved through preventive efforts.

The source code is available for others to adapt and use. The code and a full English publication on the tool can be accessed here.

The aim of the webinar is to present the tool and encourage data-driven public health action to support efforts to reduce premature mortality from NCDs.

The webinar will be moderated by Karin Tegmark Wisell, Sweden’s Ambassador for Global Health. The tool will be presented by Lisa Brouwers, Chief Analyst and Head of Unit for Analysis at the Public Health Agency of Sweden.