Tom Hemming Karlsen

A new era of collaboration between WHO/Europe and EASL has begun! On 10 June, EASL joined fellow medical specialty associations and the WHO Regional Office for Europe, led by Regional Director Dr Hans Kluge, at UN City in Copenhagen for a high-level strategic dialogue — and signed a joint statement marking a shift towards structured, sustained and strategic partnership. Aligned with the Second European Programme of Work 2026–2030 (EPW2), the signatories commit to three pillars of action: 🔹 Translating policy into clinical practice — bringing clinical expertise into WHO guidance, care pathways and medical curricula 🔹 Driving joint action on shared priorities — from the growing burden of NCDs and mental health to workforce challenges, climate and the responsible use of AI 🔹 Strengthening health systems and reducing inequalities — leveraging clinical networks to improve access to high-quality care across the Region For EASL, this builds naturally on our existing collaboration with WHO: the WHO–Imperial College London–EASL Collaborating Centre on Steatotic Liver Disease, follow-up to the WHA79 resolution on SLD, and our work through the European Health Alliance on Alcohol (EHAA) to advance evidence-based alcohol policy. Liver health belongs at the heart of Europe's NCD response — and partnerships like this are how policy becomes practice. We look forward to the next steps: dedicated mechanisms for joint initiatives, continuous clinician engagement, and a broader regional meeting of medical specialty associations. Thank you to Dr Kluge and the WHO/Europe team for convening this important dialogue. #EASL #LiverHealth #PublicHealth #WHOEurope #EPW2 #NCDs @DebbieShawcros1 @hans_kluge

🚨 NEW: Nearly 780 people die every day in Europe from liver disease — a largely preventable crisis. The new EASL–Lancet Commission calls for urgent policy action on alcohol, diet, viral hepatitis & more. 👉Full report: thelancet.com/commissions-do…