The McCabe Centre for Law and Cancer has just finished delivering its second-ever online Master Course in conjunction with the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), building on the success of its launch in 2022.
Almost 40 participants from 22 countries including Jordan, Viet Nam, Indonesia and Nigeria took part in the online course, which ran from April to June 2023.
The course, ‘Engaging with law and policy for cancer prevention and control’ was first introduced last year.
It focused on demystifying the law for cancer and health policy professionals, to support the effective use of law to get the best cancer and noncommunicable disease (NCD) outcomes for all countries.
The course taught participants about the role of law in cancer and NCD prevention and control, international instruments, and practical tips for working with governments, civil society and media and advocacy.
Jane Kabaki is a Nairobi-based lawyer and breast cancer survivor who joined the course to help progress cancer prevention advocacy, and to better understand how legal and policy measures can be leveraged for health.
“One aspect that surprised me was the depth of collaboration required between various stakeholders, including government bodies, healthcare professionals, NGOs, and patient advocacy groups, to effectively address cancer prevention and control through law and policy,” Jane said.
“The course highlighted the need for interdisciplinary cooperation to draft, implement, and monitor policies that can make a significant impact on cancer rates and patient outcomes.
“Whether you're a seasoned health or legal professional, or just starting in your career, this course provides valuable knowledge and tools to drive positive change in cancer prevention and control efforts. Taking this course has inspired me to consider taking other courses in the UICC cancer prevention and advocacy offerings.”
McCabe Centre for Law and Cancer Director Hayley Jones said it was vital to demonstrate the role of law in cancer control to those outside of the legal field.
“Unless people working in cancer prevention and control know how they can use the law in their work, we risk opportunities for progress being missed,” Hayley said.
“That’s why we are so pleased to work with UICC’s broad membership of cancer control professionals representing civil society, health and research institutes, cancer registries and more to share these ideas.”
The course was led by experts from the McCabe Centre for Law and Cancer and enriched by case studies generously shared by leading organisations and advocates around the world, including Cancer Warriors Mexico, Southeast Asia Regional NCD Alliance, World Cancer Research Fund International, the Norwegian Cancer Society, Movendi International, the Framework Convention Alliance, the Global Climate and Health Alliance, and the Center for Health, Human Rights and Development (CEHURD) Uganda, among others.
The course was accredited by the Accreditation Council of Oncology in Europe (ACOE). Participants who completed the course earned nine European CME Credits.
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UICC members can access learning and development opportunities, including self-guided courses, on their website