The Lancet Voice

Gavin is joined once again by Richard and Jessamy for a chat about the latest in global health news and the world of Lancet publications, this month covering The Lancet's new Commission, A Citizen-Centred Health System for India, and a new paper in The Lancet Global Health on the effect of global development assistance funding cuts. Click here to access the full content: https://www.thelancet.com/commissions-do/India-Citizen-Health https://www.thelancet.com/journals/langlo/article/PIIS2214-109X(26)00008-2/fulltext Send us your feedback! Read all of our content at https://www.thelancet.com/?dgcid=buzzsprout_tlv_podcast_generic_lancet Check out all the podcasts from The Lancet Group: https://www.thelancet.com/multimedia/podcasts?dgcid=buzzsprout_tlv_podcast_generic_lancet Continue this conversation on social! Follow us today at... https://thelancet.bsky.social/ https://instagram.com/thelancetgroup https://facebook.com/thelancetmedicaljournal https://linkedIn.com/company/the-lancet https://youtube.com/thelancettv

Those working in clinical trials will recall that in 2025 updates were published for the SPIRIT standard clinical trial protocol items and the CONSORT guideline for reporting randomised clinical trials. The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health will be co-publishing the first child and adolescent extensions to the SPIRIT and CONSORT reporting guidelines, along with the BMJ and JAMA Paediatrics. In this conversation with the SPIRIT and CONSORT child and adolescent project leads, Ami Baba and Martin Offringa, we discuss the need for child and adolescent specific reporting standards, the importance and value of engaging caregivers and young people in the process of developing the standards, and the potential for the SPIRIT-C and CONSORT-C reporting standards to positively impact the quality and inclusivity of paediatric clinical trials across all disciplines caring for neonates, infants, children, and adolescents. Click here to read the full articles: CONSORT-C https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanchi/article/PIIS2352-4642(26)00004-0/fulltext SPIRIT-C https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanchi/article/PIIS2352-4642(26)00005-2/fulltext Send us your feedback! Read all of our content at https://www.thelancet.com/?dgcid=buzzsprout_tlv_podcast_generic_lancet Check out all the podcasts from The Lancet Group: https://www.thelancet.com/multimedia/podcasts?dgcid=buzzsprout_tlv_podcast_generic_lancet Continue this conversation on social! Follow us today at... https://thelancet.bsky.social/ https://instagram.com/thelancetgroup https://facebook.com/thelancetmedicaljournal https://linkedIn.com/company/the-lancet https://youtube.com/thelancettv

In this episode Jessamy talks to Iris Blom, a medical doctor and researcher with the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and co-chair on The Lancet Commission on Sustainable Healthcare. Iris details her role at the recent COP30 in the Brazil Amazon, translating research for negotiators and advancing evaluation frameworks for sustainable healthcare, tells her takeaways from the conference and also explains why multilateralism still matters, how city-led co-benefits can drive measurable action, and what to expect from the upcoming Just Transition away from fossil fuels conference that will take place on 28-29 April 2026 in Santa-Marta, Colombia. Send us your feedback! Read all of our content at https://www.thelancet.com/?dgcid=buzzsprout_tlv_podcast_generic_lancet Check out all the podcasts from The Lancet Group: https://www.thelancet.com/multimedia/podcasts?dgcid=buzzsprout_tlv_podcast_generic_lancet Continue this conversation on social! Follow us today at... https://thelancet.bsky.social/ https://instagram.com/thelancetgroup https://facebook.com/thelancetmedicaljournal https://linkedIn.com/company/the-lancet https://youtube.com/thelancettv

Jessamy is joined by Chloe to co-host as they meet with Dr Mumtaz Patel President of RCP and Consultant nephrologist. Dr. Patel discusses ongoing challenges for Resident Doctors and reflects on the changes that are needed to improve the current training pathways in the UK. Send us your feedback! Read all of our content at https://www.thelancet.com/?dgcid=buzzsprout_tlv_podcast_generic_lancet Send us your feedback! Read all of our content at https://www.thelancet.com/?dgcid=buzzsprout_tlv_podcast_generic_lancet Check out all the podcasts from The Lancet Group: https://www.thelancet.com/multimedia/podcasts?dgcid=buzzsprout_tlv_podcast_generic_lancet Continue this conversation on social! Follow us today at... https://thelancet.bsky.social/ https://instagram.com/thelancetgroup https://facebook.com/thelancetmedicaljournal https://linkedIn.com/company/the-lancet https://youtube.com/thelancettv

Gavin is joined by Dr. Seth Berkley, former CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, to discuss his new book, Fair Doses. Dr. Berkley reflects on the global impact of vaccines, the ongoing challenges to vaccine equity, and the lessons learned from leading initiatives such as COVAX during the COVID-19 pandemic. We also discuss the economics of vaccine distribution, the threat of misinformation, the promise of scientific innovation, and the future of global health preparedness, and a vision for strengthening international cooperation and ensuring that future advances in vaccine science benefit everyone, everywhere. Send us your feedback! Read all of our content at https://www.thelancet.com/?dgcid=buzzsprout_tlv_podcast_generic_lancet Check out all the podcasts from The Lancet Group: https://www.thelancet.com/multimedia/podcasts?dgcid=buzzsprout_tlv_podcast_generic_lancet Continue this conversation on social! Follow us today at... https://thelancet.bsky.social/ https://instagram.com/thelancetgroup https://facebook.com/thelancetmedicaljournal https://linkedIn.com/company/the-lancet https://youtube.com/thelancettv

Gavin is joined once again by Richard and Jessamy as they examine key developments in global health and science. This week's discussion features reflections on the launch of a new Lancet series on Alzheimer’s disease, highlighting advances in prevention, diagnosis, and care, as well as the ethical and practical challenges posed by emerging treatments. We also explore the global landscape of liver cancer, demographic change, the shifting centre of scientific research, and recent studies on human longevity. Join us for a thoughtful, evidence-based conversation on pressing issues in health, policy, and research worldwide. Read the full series: https://www.thelancet.com/series-do/alzheimers-disease Read the full commission: https://www.thelancet.com/commissions-do/hepatocellular-carcinoma Send us your feedback! Read all of our content at https://www.thelancet.com/?dgcid=buzzsprout_tlv_podcast_generic_lancet Check out all the podcasts from The Lancet Group: https://www.thelancet.com/multimedia/podcasts?dgcid=buzzsprout_tlv_podcast_generic_lancet Continue this conversation on social! Follow us today at... https://thelancet.bsky.social/ https://instagram.com/thelancetgroup https://facebook.com/thelancetmedicaljournal https://linkedIn.com/company/the-lancet https://youtube.com/thelancettv

Gavin welcomes Walter Willett, Shakuntala Thilsted and Johan Rockström to discuss the second EAT-Lancet Commission report. The co-chairs explain the significant updates since the inaugural 2019 commission, including new global evidence on nutrition, advances in food systems modelling, and a greater focus on equity and justice. The panel addresses the health and environmental impacts of dietary choices, the urgent need for systemic transformation, and the practical challenges of achieving sustainable and healthy food for all. Walter, Shakuntala, and Johan provide an authoritative overview of why food justice, planetary boundaries, and community engagement are central to the future of both global health and the environment. Read the Commission here: https://www.thelancet.com/commissions-do/2025-EAT?dgcid=buzzsprout_tlv_podcast_lanceteat25_lancet Send us your feedback! Read all of our content at https://www.thelancet.com/?dgcid=buzzsprout_tlv_podcast_generic_lancet Check out all the podcasts from The Lancet Group: https://www.thelancet.com/multimedia/podcasts?dgcid=buzzsprout_tlv_podcast_generic_lancet Continue this conversation on social! Follow us today at... https://thelancet.bsky.social/ https://instagram.com/thelancetgroup https://facebook.com/thelancetmedicaljournal https://linkedIn.com/company/the-lancet https://youtube.com/thelancettv

Scientific research has traditionally treated the male body as the default, resulting in health inequity and poor outcomes for women in a world not designed for them. The Sex and Gender Equity in Research (SAGER) guidelines are an attempt to make sure research is designed for everyone, and that the outcomes better serve everyone. Editor-in-chief of The Lancet Haematology Lan-Lan Smith and editor-in-chief of The Lancet Regional Health Americas Taissa Vila join Gavin to discuss how the history of scientific research led us to this point, what the SAGER guidelines are, and how science is addressing the research gap. Send us your feedback! Read all of our content at https://www.thelancet.com/?dgcid=buzzsprout_tlv_podcast_generic_lancet Check out all the podcasts from The Lancet Group: https://www.thelancet.com/multimedia/podcasts?dgcid=buzzsprout_tlv_podcast_generic_lancet Continue this conversation on social! Follow us today at... https://thelancet.bsky.social/ https://instagram.com/thelancetgroup https://facebook.com/thelancetmedicaljournal https://linkedIn.com/company/the-lancet https://youtube.com/thelancettv

Gavin, Richard, and Jessamy enter the studio once more for a Lancet Voice chat. A new book on Alzheimer's disease causes controversy across the Lancet team, we discuss the new Countdown on Plastics & Health, and a quick look at the problems facing the upcoming UN High Level Meeting on NCDs. You can read the Lancet Countdown on health and plastics here: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(25)01447-3/fulltext?dgcid=buzzsprout_tlv_podcast_August_25_lancet Send us your feedback! Read all of our content at https://www.thelancet.com/?dgcid=buzzsprout_tlv_podcast_generic_lancet Check out all the podcasts from The Lancet Group: https://www.thelancet.com/multimedia/podcasts?dgcid=buzzsprout_tlv_podcast_generic_lancet Continue this conversation on social! Follow us today at... https://thelancet.bsky.social/ https://instagram.com/thelancetgroup https://facebook.com/thelancetmedicaljournal https://linkedIn.com/company/the-lancet https://youtube.com/thelancettv

Where did the 10,000 steps recommendation come from? Why has it proven so stubborn? What's the science behind the new recommendations? How strong is the evidence? Professor Melody Ding joins Gavin to talk about her new systematic review published in The Lancet Public Health, examining the relationship between step counts and health outcomes. We also explore the challenges of measuring physical activity, the importance of inclusive research, and the role of environmental and policy interventions in promoting population health. Read the article from The Lancet Public Health here: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpub/article/PIIS2468-2667(25)00164-1/fulltext?dgcid=buzzsprout_tlv_podcast_August_25_lanpub Send us your feedback! Read all of our content at https://www.thelancet.com/?dgcid=buzzsprout_tlv_podcast_generic_lancet Check out all the podcasts from The Lancet Group: https://www.thelancet.com/multimedia/podcasts?dgcid=buzzsprout_tlv_podcast_generic_lancet Continue this conversation on social! Follow us today at... https://thelancet.bsky.social/ https://instagram.com/thelancetgroup https://facebook.com/thelancetmedicaljournal https://linkedIn.com/company/the-lancet https://youtube.com/thelancettv

It’s no exaggeration to say that the past decade has revolutionized how we think about and treat obesity. Drugs like semaglutide (Wegovy) and tirzepatide (Zepbound) have dominated headlines, enabling significant weight loss at speeds once considered unthinkable. The market for innovative weight loss medications is booming, with pharmaceutical companies investing heavily in hopes of developing the next blockbuster drug. However, amid this race for market dominance, many experts are questioning whether the amount of weight loss alone is the best measure of these drugs’ usefulness. How can the next generation of obesity treatments meaningfully improve upon the powerful options already available? Joining The Lancet editors Callam Davidson and Miriam Sabin to discuss this question is Professor Steven Heymsfield from the Pennington Biomedical Research Center. This wide-ranging conversation covers exciting pharmaceutical advances and limitations of these treatments, including the significant disparities in access, and why these breakthroughs may have broader societal implications. Send us your feedback! Read all of our content at https://www.thelancet.com/?dgcid=buzzsprout_tlv_podcast_generic_lancet Check out all the podcasts from The Lancet Group: https://www.thelancet.com/multimedia/podcasts?dgcid=buzzsprout_tlv_podcast_generic_lancet Continue this conversation on social! Follow us today at... https://thelancet.bsky.social/ https://instagram.com/thelancetgroup https://facebook.com/thelancetmedicaljournal https://linkedIn.com/company/the-lancet https://youtube.com/thelancettv

The sustainability of our existence relies on the health of every human, every animal, and the environment we all share. Published today, "The Lancet One Health Commission: harnessing our interconnectedness for equitable, sustainable, and healthy socioecological systems" highlights challenges like climate change, food security, and antimicrobial resistance to lay out the One Health approach to informing and implementing solutions. Senior Executive Editor at The Lancet Pam Das is joined by lead Commissioners, Andrea Winkler and John Amuasi, to explain the past, present, and future of the One Health concept. You can read the Commission here: https://www.thelancet.com/commissions-do/one-health?dgcid=buzzsprout_tlv_podcast_lancetonehealth25_lancet Send us your feedback! Read all of our content at https://www.thelancet.com/?dgcid=buzzsprout_tlv_podcast_generic_lancet Check out all the podcasts from The Lancet Group: https://www.thelancet.com/multimedia/podcasts?dgcid=buzzsprout_tlv_podcast_generic_lancet Continue this conversation on social! Follow us today at... https://thelancet.bsky.social/ https://instagram.com/thelancetgroup https://facebook.com/thelancetmedicaljournal https://linkedIn.com/company/the-lancet https://youtube.com/thelancettv

Professor Adam Kucharski joins Gavin & Jessamy to discuss the intersection of mathematics, epidemiology, and truth, off the back of his new book, Proof. How do we generate scientific knowledge? How can we communicate uncertainty? What is the impact of social media and artificial intelligence on public trust in science? Adam also tells us about the importance of public engagement, the nuances of misinformation, the importance of transparency in policy, the future of scientific communications, the need for adaptable definitions of proof, and the value of pragmatic, transparent approaches to decision-making in health and science. Send us your feedback! Read all of our content at https://www.thelancet.com/?dgcid=buzzsprout_tlv_podcast_generic_lancet Check out all the podcasts from The Lancet Group: https://www.thelancet.com/multimedia/podcasts?dgcid=buzzsprout_tlv_podcast_generic_lancet Continue this conversation on social! Follow us today at... https://thelancet.bsky.social/ https://instagram.com/thelancetgroup https://facebook.com/thelancetmedicaljournal https://linkedIn.com/company/the-lancet https://youtube.com/thelancettv

How safe is it to use period tracking and digital contraception apps? Who is your data being shared with? What regulation actually exists in this area to protect app users? Femtech offers women digital tools for tracking reproductive health. Gavin and Jessamy are joined by Dr. Catriona McMillan, Senior Research Fellow in Medical Law and Ethics at the University of Edinburgh, to talk about how accurate these apps actually are, significant concerns about data privacy, and what regulatory oversight exists and can be applied. Send us your feedback! Read all of our content at https://www.thelancet.com/?dgcid=buzzsprout_tlv_podcast_generic_lancet Check out all the podcasts from The Lancet Group: https://www.thelancet.com/multimedia/podcasts?dgcid=buzzsprout_tlv_podcast_generic_lancet Continue this conversation on social! Follow us today at... https://thelancet.bsky.social/ https://instagram.com/thelancetgroup https://facebook.com/thelancetmedicaljournal https://linkedIn.com/company/the-lancet https://youtube.com/thelancettv

Richard, Jessamy, and Gavin reflect on developments at the 78th World Health Assembly, including the passage of the pandemic agreement and shifting dynamics in global health leadership. What's next for WHO without US engagement? How has WHA changed over the years? We also address the importance of recommitting to adolescent health following our new Commission, and discuss a controversial recent study about the pace of scientific innovation. You can read the second Lancet Commission on Adolescent Health & Wellbeing here: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(25)00503-3/fulltext?dgcid=buzzsprout_icw_podcast_lancetadolescenthealth25_lancet This is the paper on the pace of scientific innovation discussed on the podcast: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-01548-4 Send us your feedback! Read all of our content at https://www.thelancet.com/?dgcid=buzzsprout_tlv_podcast_generic_lancet Check out all the podcasts from The Lancet Group: https://www.thelancet.com/multimedia/podcasts?dgcid=buzzsprout_tlv_podcast_generic_lancet Continue this conversation on social! Follow us today at... https://thelancet.bsky.social/ https://instagram.com/thelancetgroup https://facebook.com/thelancetmedicaljournal https://linkedIn.com/company/the-lancet https://youtube.com/thelancettv

Gavin, Richard, and Jessamy return to the studio to discuss some publications that caught their eye this month, and in doing so set themselves the lofty goal of examining how meaning, purpose, optimism, and social context shape our understanding of health beyond traditional clinical measures. We also ponder the future of research and higher education in the face of funding challenges in both the US and the UK. Articles mentioned in this episode: The Global Flourishing Study: https://www.nature.com/articles/s44220-025-00423-5 The second Lancet Commission on adolescent health and wellbeing: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(25)00503-3/fulltext?dgcid=buzzsprout_tlv_podcast_May_25_lancet Standing up for gender justice: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(25)00679-8/fulltext?dgcid=buzzsprout_tlv_podcast_May_25_lancet How the United States became a science superpower: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-01146-4 Universities grip financial crisis – but at what cost to the nation?: https://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/what-we-do/creating-voice-our-members/media-releases/universities-grip-financial-crisis-what Send us your feedback! Read all of our content at https://www.thelancet.com/?dgcid=buzzsprout_tlv_podcast_generic_lancet Check out all the podcasts from The Lancet Group: https://www.thelancet.com/multimedia/podcasts?dgcid=buzzsprout_tlv_podcast_generic_lancet Continue this conversation on social! Follow us today at... https://thelancet.bsky.social/ https://instagram.com/thelancetgroup https://facebook.com/thelancetmedicaljournal https://linkedIn.com/company/the-lancet https://youtube.com/thelancettv

Gavin and Jessamy welcome Dr. Hugh Alderwick from the Health Foundation to The Lancet Voice as we explore the impact of the Labour government's health policies since coming to power in the UK. What might the anticipated 10-year plan for the NHS look like? What are the implications of dismantling NHS England? Will any government get a handle on social care? Hugh also provides expert analysis on the balance between funding and reform, the role of AI in health care, and the pressing issue of improving access to primary care. Send us your feedback! Read all of our content at https://www.thelancet.com/?dgcid=buzzsprout_tlv_podcast_generic_lancet Check out all the podcasts from The Lancet Group: https://www.thelancet.com/multimedia/podcasts?dgcid=buzzsprout_tlv_podcast_generic_lancet Continue this conversation on social! Follow us today at... https://thelancet.bsky.social/ https://instagram.com/thelancetgroup https://facebook.com/thelancetmedicaljournal https://linkedIn.com/company/the-lancet https://youtube.com/thelancettv

Gavin and Jessamy welcome back Oksana Pyzik of UCL to talk about the significant impacts of Trump's actions on health infrastructure in Ukraine and broader Europe. Oksana provides a comprehensive update on the current health situation in Ukraine, the challenges faced by healthcare systems amidst ongoing conflict, and the repercussions of halted aid on crucial programs like HIV and TB. We also explore the response of international institutions responsible for coordinated efforts to address pressing health issues and discuss what a tariff schedule might mean for the pharmaceutical industry. Send us your feedback! Read all of our content at https://www.thelancet.com/?dgcid=buzzsprout_tlv_podcast_generic_lancet Check out all the podcasts from The Lancet Group: https://www.thelancet.com/multimedia/podcasts?dgcid=buzzsprout_tlv_podcast_generic_lancet Continue this conversation on social! Follow us today at... https://thelancet.bsky.social/ https://instagram.com/thelancetgroup https://facebook.com/thelancetmedicaljournal https://linkedIn.com/company/the-lancet https://youtube.com/thelancettv

Gavin, Richard, and Jessamy reunite for another bonus episode, covering the first three months or so of health in the US under Trump. What do the appointments tell us about the administration's agenda? How can institutions stand up to cuts and intimidation? We also look at gender justice in global health as laid out by the excellent new Commission in The Lancet, and highlight that the world's impressive gains on maternal and newborn mortality are slowing - what more needs to be done? You can read "Achieving gender justice for global health equity: the Lancet Commission on gender and global health" here: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(25)00488-X/fulltext?dgcid=buzzsprout_tlv_podcast_lancetgenderhealth25_lancet Send us your feedback! Read all of our content at https://www.thelancet.com/?dgcid=buzzsprout_tlv_podcast_generic_lancet Check out all the podcasts from The Lancet Group: https://www.thelancet.com/multimedia/podcasts?dgcid=buzzsprout_tlv_podcast_generic_lancet Continue this conversation on social! Follow us today at... https://thelancet.bsky.social/ https://instagram.com/thelancetgroup https://facebook.com/thelancetmedicaljournal https://linkedIn.com/company/the-lancet https://youtube.com/thelancettv

Following the discovery of H5N1 influenza of avian origin in a sheep in the UK this week, Gavin is joined by Dr. Abraar Karan of Stanford University to discuss the current state of bird flu in the US, its impact on public health, and the potential for human-to-human transmission. Dr. Karan analyses the ongoing outbreaks and infections in the US, the challenges in detecting and controlling the virus, and the lessons learned from COVID-19. We chat about the complexities of viral evolution, the importance of robust testing and surveillance, the critical need for coordinated efforts to prevent a potential epidemic, and how bird flu might end. Send us your feedback! Read all of our content at https://www.thelancet.com/?dgcid=buzzsprout_tlv_podcast_generic_lancet Check out all the podcasts from The Lancet Group: https://www.thelancet.com/multimedia/podcasts?dgcid=buzzsprout_tlv_podcast_generic_lancet Continue this conversation on social! Follow us today at... https://thelancet.bsky.social/ https://instagram.com/thelancetgroup https://facebook.com/thelancetmedicaljournal https://linkedIn.com/company/the-lancet https://youtube.com/thelancettv