MENTAL HEALTH support, access to innovative medicines and public trust in science have been the focus of three World Health Organization (WHO) announcements this week.
The updates address challenges facing healthcare systems across Europe and beyond, from supporting communities affected by extreme weather to helping patients access increasingly complex and costly treatments.
A new report from the WHO European Centre for Environment, Climate Change and Health, calls for stronger recognition of the psychological effects of climate change and for mental health support to be built into emergency planning, recovery and national climate policies.
Examining 20 interventions across 15 countries, the report explores responses to extreme weather events alongside initiatives helping people manage climate-related distress.
Floods and wildfires can contribute to anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, while extreme heat can affect sleep and aggravate existing mental health conditions. Concern about environmental changes can also disrupt daily life, particularly among younger people.
Examples include Slovenia’s coordinated response to the 2023 floods, which combined mobile mental health teams, telephone support and practical assistance, and a youth-focused project led by the Estonian Green Movement.
However, responses remain fragmented, with gaps in how interventions are designed and evaluated. WHO therefore calls for clearer pathways between community support and specialist care, while stressing that concern about climate change does not, in itself, indicate a mental health disorder.
WHO/Europe also announced the European Access Dialogue Platform, designed to bring governments, patients, industry and other partners together to address barriers to new treatments.
Launched on 2 November and publicised this week, the platform focuses on timely, affordable and equitable access to innovative medicines across the WHO European Region.
High-cost treatments, including gene and cell therapies and medicines for rare diseases can reach the market with substantial uncertainty about their clinical benefits. This creates difficult decisions for healthcare systems, particularly in smaller markets and countries with limited purchasing power.
Discussions will explore evidence generation, including real-world data, alongside payment and procurement approaches and the needs of patients.
Participation is voluntary and outcomes will be non-binding, supporting rather than replacing national decisions. The platform will begin with discussions about wider health-system challenges, excluding product-specific and commercially sensitive information.
Globally, WHO has launched Together for Science and Health, a movement bringing more than 240 organisations together to strengthen public confidence in science and its role in improving health.
Launched on World Science Day for Peace and Development, the initiative focuses on bringing science and society closer together, supporting the use of evidence in health policy and improving scientific communication.
Participating organisations will share resources and approaches, with practical collaborations intended to help scientific advances benefit more people.
The movement recognises the importance of public confidence in translating research into action, from vaccination and disease prevention to new medicines and outbreak responses. Its launch included 12 events across countries and regions, alongside involvement in the Paris Peace Forum.
A WHO/Europe Spokesperson told EMJ that the initiatives have the potential to provide better, more timely access to treatment and resources for healthcare professionals and patients alike.
They said: “For patients, this is about getting the right help at the right time. That could mean mental health support that’s already in place before the next flood or heatwave, or faster and fairer access to new medicines such as gene and cell therapies, which many smaller countries struggle to afford.
“For health workers, it’s about public trust in the science they rely on every day. Progress will look different in each area. In each case, the starting point is countries learning from what has worked elsewhere and agreeing on shared approaches.”
The three initiatives target sperate areas of healthcare but work “in the same way”, according to the organisation. A spokesperson added: “Broad commitments rarely change what happens in a clinic or a ministry. Countries need concrete tools, evidence and being able to work through challenging problems together.
“WHO brings together people who wouldn’t otherwise sit at the same table, and evidence guides the decisions. None of it works if people don’t trust the science behind it. That’s why strengthening trust in science runs through all of our work.”
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