The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched a global movement bringing together more than 240 organisations to rebuild public trust in science and strengthen the role of scientific evidence in shaping healthcare policies and improving health outcomes worldwide.
Dubbed Together for Science and Health, the initiative was officially launched on 10 November 2026 to coincide with World Science Day for Peace and Development, with 12 events held across countries and regions to mobilise scientists, policymakers, institutions and leaders around a shared commitment to advancing science.
Led by WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and French President Emmanuel Macron, the movement comes amid rapid technological change and the growing influence of artificial intelligence in how people access, interpret and share scientific and health information.
The initiative seeks to address the widening relationship between scientific advancement and public understanding, emphasising that discoveries alone are insufficient unless communities trust the evidence behind them and can translate scientific progress into better health outcomes.
“Science is one of humanity’s most powerful tools, and has always been the engine of better health,” said Dr Tedros, noting that vaccines, medicines, disease prevention and outbreak response have contributed to longer and healthier lives.
He said the movement would champion evidence, trust and innovation as essential foundations for healthier societies.
The initiative will focus on three priorities: bringing science and society closer together, strengthening the use of scientific evidence in health policymaking, and improving how science is communicated and discussed.
Participating organisations are expected to exchange resources, share effective approaches and develop practical collaborations that make scientific knowledge more accessible and strengthen public confidence in health interventions.
WHO Chief Scientist and Assistant Director-General for Health Systems, Access and Data, Dr Sylvie Briand, said building public trust requires collective responsibility rather than the efforts of individual institutions or governments.
“No institution, country or community can build and sustain trust alone,” she said, describing the movement as a platform for dialogue and collaboration rather than polarisation.
Her remarks point to a broader challenge facing health systems: ensuring that scientific evidence informs public decisions while enabling communities to participate meaningfully in conversations about their health.
The growing use of artificial intelligence and digital platforms has also transformed the information environment, creating new opportunities for scientific engagement while changing how health information is produced, distributed and understood.
Through the movement, WHO intends to strengthen connections between scientific institutions and the public, helping people engage with evidence and make informed decisions.
The launch was closely associated with the Paris Peace Forum, a platform for international diplomacy and multilateral cooperation, highlighting the importance of cross-border partnerships in addressing shared global challenges.
WHO is now inviting organisations and institutions worldwide to join the initiative, contribute their expertise and networks, and support efforts to ensure that scientific progress translates into tangible benefits for all.
The movement builds on WHO’s broader 2026 campaign, Together for health. Stand with science, which positions scientific evidence as a foundation for protecting health and well-being.
Ultimately, the initiative places public confidence alongside scientific innovation as an essential component of global health progress, recognising that the impact of research depends not only on what science discovers, but also on whether societies trust, understand and act on it.
