A widely supported United Nations declaration on noncommunicable diseases, or NCDs, failed to reach its expected approval by consensus on Thursday when the United States said it would reject the measure.
The impasse means the document — seen as critical for spurring global action on NCDs and mental health — will now face a vote in the full U.N. General Assembly in the coming weeks. There, it is widely expected to pass.
U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. told the meeting his country will not support the declaration despite its strong commitment to tackling NCDs.