WHO Launches Effort to Rebuild Trust in Science
The initiative launches November 10, 2026, as more than 70% of people in nearly 150 countries still trust science.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Nutrition
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The World Health Organization has announced a new initiative, "Together for Science and Health," which launches Tuesday, November 10, 2026, with dozens of discussions planned worldwide. The effort aims to rebuild public trust in science, which a survey across nearly 150 countries found still held by more than 70% of people even as trust has fallen since 2018.
Why it matters
Public trust shapes whether people act on scientific health guidance, from vaccination to everyday decisions, and the WHO says the decline is sharpest in communities with the least access to the benefits of scientific progress. Less trust can also mean less investment in research, which slows the advances that improve health over time.
The figures come from a survey conducted across nearly 150 countries that found more than 70% of people still trust science. The available material does not detail the sample size, methodology, or precise size of the post-2018 decline.
The players
World Health Organization
The United Nations agency that leads international efforts on global public health, including disease response, vaccine programs, and health research standards.
The details
The initiative is designed 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. One proposed element is a quality label that could be awarded to the research processes of certain laboratories, which would signal reliability to the public.
Timeline
Friday, November 6, 2026: WHO announces the new initiative in Geneva.
Tuesday, November 10, 2026: "Together for Science and Health" launches, with dozens of discussions held around the world.
Health Landscape
Trust in science has been falling since 2018, and the WHO frames this decline as a public health problem alongside disease itself. Mistrust documented in the Democratic Republic of the Congo's Ebola response and anti-vaccine rhetoric in the United States show how skepticism can affect health outcomes across very different settings.
Trust in science shapes how much weight people give to guidance on vaccines, screenings, and nutrition, so the initiative's effort to rebuild that trust bears on everyday health choices. If you have questions about a recommendation, it is worth discussing them with your doctor or another trusted clinician.
The takeaway
Public trust in science remains high in most surveyed countries but has been eroding since 2018, and the WHO argues that rebuilding it is a health priority. Readers can keep their own health questions anchored in clinician-backed sources and bring concerns to their doctor rather than relying on single claims.
What happens next
The "Together for Science and Health" initiative launches Tuesday, November 10, 2026, with dozens of discussions planned around the world that day.
Further reading
For broader context on how public health guidance is communicated, see our Nutrition coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by SWI swissinfo.ch.
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