The World Health Assembly, adolescent health, and the pace of innovation

In this episode of The Lancet Voice, Gavin Cleaver is joined by Richard Houghton and Jessamy Bagginall to discuss takeaways from the 78th World Health Assembly, including the implications of the new pandemic agreement and the changing landscape of global health leadership. They explore whether the WHA is performative or valuable, the role of the private sector, and China's involvement in global health financing. The conversation shifts to adolescent health, highlighting the Lancet Commission's findings on challenges like climate change, mental health, and obesity, emphasizing the need for a specific target for adolescent health in the post-2030 framework. Finally, they debate whether scientific innovation is slowing down, discussing metrics for measuring progress and the intrinsic value of scientific research.