WHO Launches Together for Science and Health Tuesday
The World Health Organization's new initiative aims to rebuild public trust in science, which has fallen since 2018 despite more than 70% of people still trusting it.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Nutrition
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Do you still trust scientific research to guide your health decisions?
The World Health Organization announced the "Together for Science and Health" initiative on Friday in Geneva, with launch discussions planned worldwide on Tuesday. A survey across nearly 150 countries found more than 70% of people still trust science, though trust has been declining since 2018.
Why it matters
When citizens trust science, they are more likely to rely on scientific guidance when making health decisions, and less trust can translate into less investment and fewer scientific advances. The decline is most pronounced in communities with the least access to the benefits of scientific progress.
A survey across nearly 150 countries found more than 70% of people still trust science, a level that has eroded since 2018. The survey does not quantify the size of that decline or break down trust by region beyond noting it is weakest where access to scientific benefits is lowest.
The players
World Health Organization
The United Nations agency responsible for international public health, headquartered in Geneva, that announced the initiative.
The details
The initiative aims to bridge the gap between science and society, strengthen the link between science and policy, and combat misinformation. It will bring together scientists, policymakers, healthcare workers, civil society and community representatives, and could award a quality label to laboratory research processes guaranteeing reliability.
Timeline
Friday, November 6, 2026: WHO announces the initiative in Geneva.
Tuesday, November 10, 2026: Launch of Together for Science and Health with dozens of discussions worldwide.
Big Picture
The WHO's "Together for Science and Health" initiative responds to a trust decline in science that has been underway since 2018, extending the agency's public health role from disease response into the credibility of the research behind it. The effort targets the same communities that have been shut out of scientific progress's benefits, which is where the decline is steepest.
Readers who rely on scientific guidance for health decisions may see the initiative's work reflected in clearer communication from health authorities over time. The planned laboratory quality label could eventually help readers judge which research processes they can rely on.
The takeaway
Trust in science remains widespread but is eroding, and the strongest declines appear where people have had the least access to its benefits. Supporting transparent, locally relevant scientific communication is one practical way to help rebuild that trust.
What happens next
The "Together for Science and Health" launch discussions take place Tuesday, November 10, 2026, with dozens of events planned around the world.
Further reading
For broader context on public health institutions and science communication, explore the Nutrition section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by SWI swissinfo.ch.
Live Poll
Do you still trust scientific research to guide your health decisions?
