WHO Launches Global Movement to Rebuild Trust in Science and Improve Health

WHO says trust cannot be assumed simply because research exists, and communities need opportunities to ask questions, express concerns and help influence the health issues that scientists investigate.

The World Health Organization has opened a global call for organizations and institutions to join Together for Science and Health, a new movement designed to strengthen the relationship between science, public health and society at a time when trust in evidence and access to reliable information have become increasingly important for health decisions.

WHO says the movement will bring together researchers, health professionals, policy-makers, communities, funders and citizens so scientific knowledge can be translated more effectively into practical improvements in people's lives. The initiative is based on the idea that medical and public health advances have the greatest impact when people understand the evidence behind them, can help shape research priorities and have a fair chance to benefit from discoveries.

Scientific progress has already transformed health across generations. Antibiotics made many dangerous bacterial infections treatable, vaccines and better nutrition helped more children survive, improvements in sanitation reduced preventable disease, antiretroviral treatment extended the lives of millions of people living with HIV, and advances in cancer screening, prevention and treatment have improved early detection and survival.

WHO says scientific progress depends on public trust and participation

WHO says trust cannot be assumed simply because research exists, and communities need opportunities to ask questions, express concerns and help influence the health issues that scientists investigate.

Dr Sylvie Briand, WHO Chief Scientist and Assistant Director-General for Better Health Systems, Access and Data a.i., said science is not only about producing discoveries but about ensuring those discoveries make a meaningful difference and reach people fairly.

The movement is intended to create stronger links between institutions that produce evidence and the communities, governments and health systems expected to use it, giving organizations a shared platform to exchange methods, coordinate practical work and learn from approaches that have already proved useful.

Three pillars connect communities, policy and science communication

Together for Science and Health is organized around three connected areas. The first, science and society, focuses on bringing researchers and communities closer together so studies reflect real needs, lived experiences and public priorities rather than being shaped only from inside scientific institutions.

The second pillar, science and policy, focuses on helping governments and other decision-makers use trustworthy evidence when developing health policies. WHO says better links between researchers and policy-makers can support decisions that are practical, fair and more responsive to public needs.

The third pillar, science communication, focuses on making scientific information easier to understand and discuss. It also emphasizes listening carefully to public questions and concerns and responding more effectively to misinformation and disinformation rather than treating communication as a one-way exercise.

Organizations invited to join ahead of November launch

WHO is inviting institutions that share the movement's values to formally affiliate by endorsing its Declaration of Commitment and completing an affiliation form. Participating organizations will also be asked to explain how they can contribute to one or more of the three pillars.

Affiliated groups will be able to contribute expertise, networks, communication approaches and practical solutions that can strengthen trust in science and support better health outcomes through cooperation across different sectors.

WHO says no single institution can create the necessary connection between science and society on its own, making broader participation central to the movement's design. Researchers may provide evidence, health workers may understand how that evidence performs in practice, communities may identify needs that studies overlook, and policy-makers can help turn findings into action through laws, programmes and public investment.

Together for Science and Health will officially launch on November 10, 2026, marking the start of what WHO describes as a new phase of collective work to make science a stronger force for health, equity and the public good.