webENCouncil232-ActivityReport-Apr2026 (1)

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WORLD MEDICAL ASSOCIATION
Activity Report to the
232nd
WMA Council Session
(November 2025 – March 2026)
Belgrade, Serbia
March 2026 Council 232/Activity Report/Apr2026
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ACTIVITY REPORT
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER I ETHICS, ADVOCACY & REPRESENTATION…………………………………………….4
1. ETHICS……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………4
1.1 Revision of the Declaration of Taipei……………………………………………………………………4
1.2 Declaration of Helsinki……………………………………………………………………………………….4
2. HUMAN RIGHTS………………………………………………………………………………………………………5
2.1 Right to health……………………………………………………………………………………………………5
2.2 Protecting patients and physicians ………………………………………………………………………..5
2.3 Violence against health care in areas of armed conflict and other situations of violence6
2.4 Prevention of torture and ill-treatment…………………………………………………………………..8
2.5 Mental health and human rights……………………………………………………………………………8
2.6 Health through peace ………………………………………………………………………………………….8
2.7 Sexual orientation and gender identity…………………………………………………………………..9
3. PUBLIC HEALTH……………………………………………………………………………………………………..9
3.1 Non-communicable diseases (NCDs)……………………………………………………………………9
3.2 Communicable diseases …………………………………………………………………………………….10
3.3 Social determinants of health (SDH) and universal health coverage (UHC) …………….11
3.4 Health and the environment ……………………………………………………………………………….12
3.5 Artificial Intelligence (AI), Health Data and Medical Technologies………………………..13
4. HEALTH SYSTEMS …………………………………………………………………………………………………14
4.1 World Patient Safety Day ………………………………………………………………………………….14
4.2 Antimicrobial resistance & One Health……………………………………………………………….15
4.3 Health emergencies…………………………………………………………………………………………..16
4.4 Health workforce and Health Systems…………………………………………………………………16
5. HEALTH POLICY & EDUCATION …………………………………………………………………………..17
5.1 Medical and health policy development and education………………………………………….17
5.2 Support for national constituent members ……………………………………………………………17
CHAPTER II PARTNERSHIP & COLLABORATION…………………………………………………….17
1. REGIONAL MEDICAL ASSOCIATIONS AND STANDING CONFERENCES ………………..17
2. WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO)………………………………………………………………17
3. OTHER UN AGENCIES …………………………………………………………………………………………..18
4. WORLD HEALTH PROFESSIONS ALLIANCE (WHPA)……………………………………………..19
5. MEDICAL SUPPORT FOR UKRAINE ………………………………………………………………………20
6. WMA COOPERATING CENTRES …………………………………………………………………………….20
7. WORLD FEDERATION FOR MEDICAL EDUCATION………………………………………………21
8. VIENNA CONGRESS 27 JANUARY 2025…………………………………………………………………..22
9. WORLD CONTINUING EDUCATION ALLIANCE (WCEA) ………………………………………..22
10. OTHER PARTNERSHIPS OR COLLABORATIONS WITH HEALTH AND HUMAN
RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS …………………………………………………………………………………………….22
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CHAPTER III COMMUNICATION & OUTREACH……………………………………………………….25
11. PRESS RELEASES…………………………………………………………………………………………………..25
12. WMA NEWSLETTER……………………………………………………………………………………………….25
13. WMA SOCIAL MEDIA (TWITTER, LINKEDIN, FACEBOOK, YOUTUBE and BLUESKY)
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14. WORLD MEDICAL JOURNAL …………………………………………………………………………………26
15. WMA ANNUAL REPORT …………………………………………………………………………………………26
16. SECONDMENTS/INTERNSHIPS………………………………………………………………………………26
17. JDN Newsletter ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….27
18. WMA GLOSSARY ……………………………………………………………………………………………………27
CHAPTER IV OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE ……………………………………………………………..27
1. STRATEGIC PLAN 2026-2030………………………………………………………………………………….27
CHAPTER V ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS…………………………………………………………………………27
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CHAPTER I ETHICS, ADVOCACY & REPRESENTATION
1. ETHICS
1.1 Revision of the Declaration of Taipei
The World Medical Association (WMA) is undertaking a comprehensive revision of its Declaration
of Taipei, a foundational ethical framework guiding the use of health databases and biobanks
beyond traditional research. First adopted in 2002 and last updated in 2016, the Declaration
underscores the critical importance of confidentiality, trust, and the protection of sensitive health
information. It recognizes that risks to these principles often stem from commercial, administrative,
or political misuse, rather than from scientific inquiry itself. As custodians of health data,
physicians bear a unique responsibility to uphold these ethical standards. The revision process,
launched in April 2025 with the establishment of a dedicated workgroup, seeks to ensure the
Declaration remains robust and relevant in the face of rapidly evolving global challenges.
The landscape of health data and biospecimen use has been profoundly reshaped by advances in
digital health, artificial intelligence, multi-omics, and big data analytics. These innovations are
breaking down traditional distinctions between clinical care, research, and public health, while also
extending into commercial applications. Such developments raise urgent ethical questions regarding
consent, transparency, privacy, accountability, and equity. The growing capacity for data linkage
and international sharing further intensifies these concerns, and the commercialization of data-
driven products introduces new dilemmas around benefit sharing and alignment with the public
interest. In this context, the current scope of the Declaration faces unprecedented challenges,
making its revision both timely and essential.
To ensure broad and inclusive input, the WMA is convening a series of regional expert meetings.
The first open expert meeting was held in Taipei, Taiwan in December 2025. The second took place
in São Paulo, Brazil, in March 2026, followed by meetings in Vatican City, Italy (30 May–2 June
2026), and Oslo, Norway (14–16 September 2026). The WMA extends its gratitude to all
constituent members for their invaluable support in organising these regional consultations.
1.2 Declaration of Helsinki
In response to the European Union’s efforts to enhance its competitiveness in life sciences
and biotechnology—including proposals such as the Biotech Act—the WMA and the
Standing Committee of European Doctors (CPME) co-hosted a policy briefing to address
the critical need for maintaining robust ethical safeguards in clinical trials. While the
EU seeks to streamline multi-country trials and improve health data sharing, these
developments raise concerns about potential deregulation, patient safety, data privacy, and
equitable access to medicinal products. The WMA’s Declaration of Helsinki, the global
standard for ethical clinical research, emphasizes that the rights, interests, and well-being
of participants must always take precedence over scientific and societal interests. The
briefing underscored that ethical rigor is not only compatible with innovation but essential
for scientific credibility, public trust, and sustainable progress in medical research.
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2. HUMAN RIGHTS
2.1 Right to health
The WMA Secretariat monitors the work of the United Nations Human Rights Council and
its independent experts, including Dr Tlaleng Mofokeng (South Africa), the UN Special
Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of
physical and mental health, and keeps WMA members regularly informed via the WMA
Newsletter.
2.2 Protecting patients and physicians
Actions of support
Country/ topic Case
HUNGARY
August 2025 –
January 2026
Source:
Hungarian
Medical
Chamber
The President of the Hungarian Medical Chamber contacted the Secretariat in
August, asking for WMA support in response to the increasing pressure on the
Hungarian Medical Chamber, whose rights are being systematically restricted,
including through the transfer of ethical oversight from the Chamber to a
government-controlled body and the discriminatory removal of obligatory
membership. A letter was sent to the Prime Minister of Hungary (cc:
Permanent representation of Hungary to the European Union) calling for an
immediate end to this unfounded campaign and expressing solidarity with its
Hungarian member. A press release was issued and published on WMA social
media channels.
At the end of October, we received a response from the Hungarian Minister of
the Interior, inviting the WMA to visit Hungary. A similar invitation was sent
to the CPME and the German Medical Association. A ministerial meeting was
held on 23 January in Budapest, under the auspices of the Hungarian Minister
of the Interior, with the participation of the WMA, the CPME and the GMA.
The Minister offered to allow the re-establishment of an ethics committee by
the Hungarian Chamber. The WMA stated that this should come with the
reintroduction of the obligatory membership.
ISRAEL
October 2025–
February 2026
Source:
Israeli Medical
Ass. / Media
During the reporting period, the Secretariat regularly posted on social media
the WMA Resolution on the protection of health care in Israel and Gaza and
the WMA Resolution Calling on the Israeli Government to Comply with the
Geneva Conventions and Other Applicable Instruments of Humanitarian Law
(adopted last October in Porto), demanding respect by all parties for
international humanitarian law and the principle of medical neutrality to
protect health facilities, health personnel and patients. The Secretariat also
shared with the Israeli Medical Association the emails from members about
individual cases of attacks on physicians and hospitals in the region, mainly in
Gaza.
In November, the WMA wrote to the Israeli authorities urging them to
guarantee due process and fair-trial rights for Dr Hussam Abu Safiya, Director
of Kamal Adwan Hospital in Gaza, who has reportedly been held since 27
December 2024 without charge, as well as for other detained health
professionals. A press release was issued: WMA calls on Israel to ensure fair
trial standards for detained Gaza physician, 07.11.2025
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Another letter was sent to the Israeli authorities in January demanding a rapid
and unimpeded entry and distribution of emergency aid in Gaza. This was
followed by a press release: World Medical Association Appeals for Rapid
and Unobstructed Delivery of Emergency Aid in Gaza, 15.01.2026
IRAQ
January 2026
Source:
Individual
physicians /
Associate
members
In January, the Secretariat received several emails from young physicians in
Iraq reporting that more than a year and a half after graduating, they have still
not been officially appointed to public health institutions, despite the acute
shortage of physicians in hospitals and the increasing pressure on the health
care system in the country.
The Secretariat wrote to the Iraqi Medical Association urging them to exert
pressure on the authorities and take all necessary and effective measures to
ensure the appointment of young graduate physicians. The Junior Doctors
Network was also informed of the situation.
IRAN
January-
February 2026
Source:
Amnesty
International /
Associate
Members /
Media
In January, the Secretariat received numerous consistent reports indicating a
sharp increase in violence against health care personnel in Iran in recent
weeks. The WMA issued a press release strongly condemning the assault on
Imam Khomeini Hospital in Ilam, and the interference with health care
delivery reported across the country.
Later that month, the WMA sent a letter to the Iranian authorities urging it to
end violence against health personnel. In the letter, the WMA denounces the
use of violence by security forces, the misuse of medical facilities to support
the repression of protests, and the persecution of health care professionals. A
press release was issued. Several messages were also posted on social media
in relation to the critical situation of violence in the country.
SUDAN
October 2025
Sources:
Media, WMA
members
In late October, the WMA issued a press statement expressing its deepest
outrage following reports of the massacre of more than 460 patients and their
companions at the Saudi Maternity Hospital in El Fasher, North Darfur,
Sudan. The WMA expressed its full solidarity with Sudanese physicians,
nurses, and other health professionals, urging the international community to
intensify humanitarian support for those displaced by the violence in the
region.
SYRIA
January 2026
Sources: Media
Following reports of attacks on civilians and health care personnel and
facilities in the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh neighbourhoods of Aleppo, a
letter was sent to the Syrian authorities in January drawing attention to the fact
that hospitals, clinics, ambulances, and medical personnel have been
deliberately targeted or obstructed from fulfilling their duties. The WMA
stressed that attacks against civilians, health personnel, and medical facilities
constitute grave violations of international humanitarian law. A press release
was issued.
UKRAINE See below chapter II section 5 Medical Support for Ukraine
2.3 Violence against health care in areas of armed conflict and other situations of violence
The WMA continues to denounce attacks against health care across the globe and to
advocate for sustainable prevention strategies globally, including in the context of
pandemic prevention, preparedness and response (see item 4.3 below).
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2.3.1 “Health Care in Danger” (HCiD) initiative
The WMA Secretariat has a close working relationship with the International Committee
of the Red Cross (ICRC) headquarters within the context of the “Health Care in Danger”
(HCiD) initiative. With the reduction in funding for the initiative, activities have decreased
in recent years. However, the ICRC-led HCiD Community of Concern (CoC)1
continues to
meet regularly, enabling the exchange of up-to-date information between partners and the
exploration of possible joint actions on advocacy and monitoring of violence against health
care.
2.3.2 Collaborative Forum on Attacks against Health Professionals
The WMA is part of the Collaborative Forum on Attacks against Health Professionals
initiated by the Committee on Human Rights (CHR) of the US National Academies of
Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) to engage in information sharing and
explore possibilities for individual and joint action. During the period under review, C.
Delorme followed the activities of the Forum and reported on the WMA’s recent activities
to combat violence against physicians, including the policies adopted by the General
Assembly in Porto. The Forum works on a mapping exercise to identify current obstacles
and opportunities for action in response to the escalation of attacks against health
professionals, both at national and international levels.
2.3.3 Other activities related to violence against health care
In July, the Secretariat was invited by RIAH (Researching the Impact of Attacks on Health
care) to contribute to a mapping of stakeholders working on the protection of health
care, their current interests and capacities in that area, with a view to developing an action
plan to bring together and mobilise relevant actors over the coming years. C. Delorme met
with them in August for an interview. A public report on this mapping exercise is expected
to be published later in March or April.
Concerned by the alarming reports from multiple countries documenting attacks on health
personnel, violations of medical neutrality, and the misuse of health care facilities, whether
in situations of armed conflict or during civil protests, the World Health Professions
Alliance (WHPA) published a press statement in February calling for protection of health
personnel from violence and persecution.
Clarisse Delorme, senior policy advisor, will participate in an expert workshop entitled
“Strengthening Data Systems and Evidence for Protecting Health care and the Right
to Health in Conflict,” to take place in late March in Geneva. This workshop is jointly
organised by the World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH), the Researching the
Impact of Attacks on Health care (RIAH) Consortium, the Office of the UN High
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The HCiD convenes a global dialogue through the Community of Concerns (CoC) which bring together representatives
of international health and/or humanitarian organizations concerned with the issue of violence against health care, such
as the WMA, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), the International Committee of Military Medicine (ICMM), the
International Council of Nurses (ICN), the International Hospital Federation (IHF), the Safeguarding Health in Conflict
Coalition, Médecins du Monde and the World Federation for Medical Education (WFME), among others.
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Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), and the International Federation of Red Cross
and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of UN Security
Council Resolution 2286 on the protection of health care in armed conflict.
2.4 Prevention of torture and ill-treatment
The WMA Secretariat follows relevant international activities in this area, including those
of the Human Rights Council.
Clarisse Delorme attended the Expert Group meeting on the use of technology in
prisons organised by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) on 10-12 November in Vienna. The
purpose of the meeting was to contribute to the development of a handbook on the use of
new technologies in prison settings, to be published under UNODC’s Criminal Justice
Handbook Series. Following the meeting, a written contribution was sent to the rapporteurs
responsible for drafting the handbook, emphasising the ethical dimension of digital health
in detention and referring to the WMA’s fundamental ethical policies, in particular the
WMA Statement on Digital Health.
In February, the Secretariat responded to the call for input issued by the UN Special
Rapporteur on summary, extrajudicial or arbitrary executions on the issue of “the death
penalty from the perspective of the prohibition against torture and other forms of ill-
treatment and the protection of human dignity”, with a view to contributing to the Special
Rapporteur’s report to be presented to the 62nd session of the Human Rights Council. The
WMA contribution focused on detention on death row from both a medical and ethical
perspective, based on the WMA statement on solitary confinement.
2.5 Mental health and human rights
Since 2017, the WMA Secretariat has been monitoring international activities related to the
promotion of mental health as a global priority and a fundamental human right, with the
aim of providing the physicians’ perspective in the discussion.
The WMA delivered a statement at the WHO Executive Board 158th session in February,
urging sustained financing and investment in the mental health workforce, as well as the
provision of safe working conditions and meaningful engagement of people with lived
experience, including in emergency preparedness and response.
2.6 Health through peace
2.6.1 Prevention of nuclear weapons
Further to the adoption of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, the
International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW), the WMA, the
International Council of Nurses (ICN), the international Federation of Medical Students
(IFMSA) and the World Federation of Public Health Associations (WFPHA) have been
collaborating on the need to promote the global health imperative to eliminate nuclear
weapons and to advocate for the ratification of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear
Weapons.
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During the reporting period, the Secretariat had regular contact with IPPNW to discuss
strategies for placing the issue of nuclear weapons’ prevention on the global health agenda.
To this end, the revision of the WMA Statement on Nuclear Weapons adopted by the
General Assembly in Porto last October, now includes a provision urging “the World
Health Assembly to empower the World Health Organization to review and renew its 1987
report “Effects of Nuclear War on Health and Health Services,” and its 1993 report
“Health and Environmental Effects of Nuclear Weapons” and to publicize its findings
widely. ”.
2.6.2 WHO Global Health and Peace Initiative (GPHI)
The Secretariat continues to monitor the development of the WHO proposed Global Health
and Peace Initiative (GPHI). In collaboration with the ICRC, MSF (Médecins sans
Frontières) and ICN (International Council of Nurses), we called for more clarity and
details to guarantee the impartial provision of health care and adequate working conditions
for health personnel, in line with the ethical principles of health care.
The 77th
World Health Assembly (May 2024) adopted a resolution requesting the WHO
Director-General to continue to work on the GHPI in view of a possible, consensual
strengthened road map for adoption by the 2029 World Health Assembly. At its 158th
session last February, the WHO Executive Board reviewed the Director-General’s progress
report and took note of ongoing work.
2.7 Sexual orientation and gender identity
In February, the WMA received an invitation to join the Steering Committee of the study
of Conversion Practices against LGBTIQ persons commissioned by the European
Commission with the aim of identifying, analysing and assessing the nature, scope,
prevalence and impacts of conversion practices targeting LGBTIQ persons across the
European Union. Given the regional scope of the project, the Secretariat forwarded the
invitation to the Standing Committee of European Doctors (CPME) in order to identify a
suitable expert with the required medical knowledge.
3. PUBLIC HEALTH
3.1 Non-communicable diseases (NCDs)
General
Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs), including cardiovascular diseases, cancer, chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, as well as mental health disorders, are now the
dominant cause of death and disability across the world.
The WMA is a member of the WHO Global Noncommunicable Diseases Platform
(GNP), which is a Department in the Division for UHC, Communicable and
Noncommunicable Diseases. The purpose of GNP is “to coordinate the United Nations
system and mobilize non-State actors and complement and enhance WHO’s work in
supporting governments to develop whole-of-government and whole-of-society responses
to address Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) target 3.4 and other NCD-related
SDGs.”
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The World Health Organization (WHO) Global Noncommunicable Disease Platform, in
collaboration with the Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research and the World
Medical Association, launched a call for applications for an incentive research grant for
young researchers in integrated care pathways for the prevention and control of NCDs and
mental health conditions. The research should have whole-of-government and whole-of-
society approaches to generate knowledge and support the scaling-up of proven cost-
effective interventions. The Young Researchers Programme has entered the implementation
phase. The Call for Proposals, launched on 5 November 2024 and closed on 31 January
2025, received 489 submissions across six WHO regions. Following eligibility screening,
60 proposals progressed to technical review, and 12 young researchers were selected based
on scientific merit, feasibility, and potential policy impact. The selected projects are being
implemented in Tanzania (2), Nepal (2), Pakistan (2), Niger, Senegal, Cameroon, Sri Lanka,
Moldova, and Indonesia. Studies are expected to conclude by end of August 2026, producing
both research reports and policy briefs.
Tobacco
The WMA is involved in the implementation process of the WHO Framework
Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), and participated in the COP meeting in
Geneva in 2025 through Dr Julia Tainijoki, Senior Medical Advisor. Key decisions were
reached on tobacco control and the environment; increasing sustainable resources for
tobacco control; forward-looking tobacco control measures; and issues relating to the
liability of the tobacco industry for the damage it causes.
Alcohol
Within the context of the collaboration plan between the WHO and the WMA, the WMA
contributed to the development and promotion of the WHO action plan 2022-2030 to
effectively implement the WHO Global Strategy to reduce the harmful use of alcohol. The
Secretariat liaised with the WHO unit responsible for implementing the action plan, and
with the Global Alcohol Policy Alliance (GAPA), a key partner of the WMA in this area.
Although no specific activities on the issue of alcohol were carried out during the reporting
period, the Secretariat continues its awareness-raising efforts to address noncommunicable
diseases in a holistic manner.
3.2 Communicable diseases
Immunisation
For many years, the WHO has set a target of 75% flu immunization coverage, yet in many
countries vaccination rates remain well below this goal – even among health professionals.
The WMA has long advocated for the public health benefits of immunisation, stressing the
importance of health care professional vaccination, both as role models and to protect their
patients from infection.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, two additional annual respiratory challenges have
emerged: COVID-19 and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV).
In response to this evolving public health landscape, the Steering Group on Influenza
Vaccination—of which the WMA has been a member for several years, broadened its
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mandate and changed its name to the Steering Group on the Prevention of Respiratory
Infections. At its annual advocacy event in Brussels in October 2025, the Steering
Committee released a memorandum outlining this shift.
The WMA together with other health professional organisations, the World Federation of
Public Health Associations (WFPHA) and International Federation on Ageing (IFA) joined
the Call to Action to advocate for life-course vaccination. The call highlights the
importance of comprehensive vaccination programs across the entire life course, with
particular attention to safeguarding populations at risk, including health and social care
professionals, who face serious and potentially life-altering consequences due to vaccine-
preventable diseases.
3.3 Social determinants of health (SDH) and universal health coverage (UHC)
UHC2030 is the global movement dedicated to strengthening health systems in pursuit of
Universal Health Coverage (UHC). Its diverse membership includes countries, multilateral
organizations, global initiatives, philanthropic foundations, and non-governmental
organizations. The WMA is an active participant in this network and has previously served
on the Civil Society Advisory Group. In recognition of its ongoing commitment, the WMA
has been selected to join the UHC2030 Task Force. The movement fosters collaboration
through high-level events and gatherings, while also providing advocacy, tools, guidance,
and knowledge-sharing to advance the UHC agenda.
Following the decision of the UN General Assembly at the 2023 High-Level Meeting
(HLM), the next UN HLM on UHC is scheduled for September 2027 in New York. A
multistakeholder hearing is anticipated for spring 2027. As in 2019 and 2023, UHC2030 is
expected to play a pivotal role in mobilising and supporting stakeholders, and in
contributing to the process of securing meaningful commitments and actions to accelerate
progress toward UHC.
Advocacy efforts for the 2027 HLM are already underway, with the WMA actively
engaged through the UHC2030 Task Force. The Task Force’s primary responsibility will
be to oversee the development of an Action Agenda 2.0 for the UHC Movement, drawing
on the latest data, the evolving global health context, and inputs gathered through inclusive
consultations. The Task Force aims to present a concise set of action-oriented policy
recommendations to the President of the General Assembly in advance of the 2027 UHC
Political Declaration negotiations. It will also provide strategic political advocacy and
communications support to UHC2030 throughout the preparatory process for the 2027 UN
HLM on UHC. The Task Force will comprise up to twenty-five representatives from
UHC2030 constituencies and beyond.
In a related development, the WHO Executive Board has requested the Director-General to
convene global actors in designing a proposal for “a joint, inclusive, transparent, time-
bound, resource-effective, and efficient process, hosted by WHO and led by Member
States.” This process aims to bring together and complement the global health
architecture and UN80 discussions, facilitating convergence and consensus-building to
support the transformation of the current global health architecture. WMA is involved in
this process.
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3.4 Health and the environment
3.4.1 WMA Environment Workgroup
The 223rd
WMA Council in Nairobi (April 2023) decided to set up a workgroup on
environment, mandated to support WMA advocacy work on environment and health, in
accordance with the terms of reference defined by the Council Chair. The members of the
Workgroup are appointed according to the same cycle as WMA Council standing
committees. The 229th
Council (Montevideo) decided to renew the mandate of the
workgroup for a second term (2025-2027). Laura Jung (JDN) succeeded Ankush Bansal
(associate member) as chair of the workgroup for this new term. Other members of the
WG include representatives from the British, Kuwait and Nigerian medical associations,
and Associate Members. After the General Assembly in Porto, the workgroup welcomed
two new members: the Canadian Medical Association and the Trinidad & Tobago Medical
Association.
During the reporting period, the environment workgroup met several times to consider the
proposed revisions to the WMA’s policies on fossil fuels and on climate change, following
comments received from members. Revised versions of the two policies will be submitted
to the Council in Belgrade. The workgroup also prepared the meeting of the next
Environment Caucus, held in conjunction with each WMA Council meeting and discussed
WMA advocacy activities on international climate change initiatives.
3.4.2 Climate change and air pollution
The WMA is a member of the WHO-Civil Society Working Group to Advance Action
on Climate Change and Health set up in May 2019. The Working Group aims to foster a
strong, sustained health voice informing national and international decision-making on
climate change and drive urgent action on climate change. The proposed strategic
partnership is well in line with the agreed collaboration plan between WHO and WMA for
the period 2025-2027.
United Nations Climate Change intergovernmental negotiations:
The WMA was represented at the UN Climate Change Conference, COP30 (Belém, 10-21
November 2025). A report of the activities of the WMA delegation is included in the
annual report and an article will be published in the next World Medical Journal. The
following press statements were issued:
– World Medical Association Welcomes COP30 Health Community Recommendations
ahead of Health Day, 11.11.2025
– WHPA Urges COP30 to Build Climate-Smart, Health Professional-Led Health
Systems under the Belém Health Action Plan, 06.11.2025
Lancet Countdown global report 2025 on health and climate change:
– Last August, the WMA was invited to contribute to the Lancet Countdown
consultation for the refinement of climate change and health indicators. After 9
years of annual indicator reporting, the aim of this consultation was to ensure that the
indicators continue to reflect the areas most relevant to equitable action on health and
climate change. The Council Chair appointed Dr Laura Jung, Chair of the WMA
Environment Workgroup, to contribute to the consultation on behalf of the WMA. The
2025 Global Report of the Lancet Countdown was launched late October.
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– Dr Jacqueline Kitulu, WMA President, was invited to participate in a panel discussion
during an online “Debrief for health professionals: Insights from the 2025 Lancet
Countdown on health and climate change” held on December 10. Building on the
findings of the Lancet Countdown, this debriefing session, organised by Health Care
Without Harm (HCWH), reviewed the latest data and trends and explored strategies to
strengthen the resilience of health systems. Dr Kitulu emphasised the central role of
health professionals in advancing climate and health action. The recording of the event
is available online.
Invitation for World Medical Association to join the WHO ATACH initiative:
Last November, the WMA received an invitation to join the Alliance for Transformative
Action on Climate and Health (ATACH), an alliance working to achieve the ambition set
at COP26 to build climate resilient and sustainable health systems. While welcoming this
invitation – and before forwarding the request to the Executive Committee with its
recommendation – the WMA environment workgroup wishes to clarify with ATACH their
expectations and the various working structures within the alliance to which the WMA
could make a useful contribution.
3.4.3 Chemical pollution
The WMA sees the reduction of environmental contamination from chemicals as a critical
public health issue. The WMA supports the Global Framework on Chemicals – for a
Planet Free of Harm from Chemicals and Waste, which aims to promote chemical
safety around the world and to minimize significant adverse impacts on the environment
and human health.
Dr Peter Orris, expert on the WMA environment workgroup, follows the negotiations on
the implementation of the Minamata Mercury Convention. The Secretariat provides
members with relevant updates on the Convention implementation process and its impact
on health, mainly through its newsletter.
Following the adoption of the WMA Resolution on Plastics and Health in October 2024
in Helsinki, the Secretariat is monitoring the intergovernmental negotiations on the UN
treaty on plastics and provides WMA members with up-to-date information on this subject
in its newsletter.
3.4.4 My Green Doctor
The WMA partners with the Florida Medical Association (FMA) on a joint project “My
Green Doctor.” This project is a medical office environmental management service
offered free of charge to members of the World Medical Association (WMA) and the
Florida Medical Association (FMA). The initial version of My Green Doctor was launched
by the FMA on World Earth Day 2010. In June 2014, the WMA and FMA agreed to work
together on this project. My Green Doctor provides a free practice management tool
designed by doctors to make medical offices more environmentally friendly. The My
Green Doctor website is available in the “What we do – Education” section of the WMA
website. Calls to action are regularly published on the WMA social media channels and in
the WMA Newsletter.
3.5 Artificial Intelligence (AI), Health Data and Medical Technologies
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The WMA General Assembly in Porto last October adopted the WMA Statement on
Artificial and Augmented Intelligence in Medical Care, elaborated under the auspices of
the Workgroup on Medical Technology.
In January, the WMA was invited to participate in a study conducted by a researcher at
Ghent University in Belgium on the use of AI in health care, gender awareness, and
awareness of gender bias in AI among physicians. The invitation was shared with WMA
members.
The WMA has been invited to participate in an International Conference on the
Responsible Scale of AI in Health Care, organised by the Spanish Ministry of Health and
the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) next May in
Madrid. This high-level, invitation-only event will bring together global experts to develop
an action plan for the responsible and equitable integration of AI in health care. AI holds
transformative potential for delivering high-quality, accessible, and affordable health care,
but its rapid advancement risks fragmented and inconsistent implementation across
countries. In preparation for the AI Madrid conference, the OECD and the DTH-Lab held a
pre-consultation meeting in March 2026, where Dr Julia Tainijoki, Senior Medical
Advisor, represented the WMA and contributed to shaping the draft Action Plan.
The Executive Committee appointed Dr Ramin Parsa-Parsi, the incoming Secretary
General of the WMA effective 1 May, to represent the WMA at the conference.
The WMA was invited by the Ethiopian Medical Association to assist in finding a keynote
speaker for the 62nd Annual Medical Conference, scheduled for March 27–28, 2026 on the
theme “The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Enhancing Medical Education, Health
care Services, and Research in Ethiopia.” The request was forwarded to the Medical
Technology Workgroup, which recommended Dr Jacob Matthew (Kuwait Medical
Association, member of the workgroup) to speak in his personal capacity as a leading
expert on AI in the medical field.
4. HEALTH SYSTEMS
4.1 World Patient Safety Day
The WMA is a member of the World Patient Safety Day (WPSD) Steering Committee,
represented by Dr Julia Tainijoki, Senior Medical Advisor, and at its first meeting it was
decided that the WPSD 2026 will have the theme ‘Patient safety in noncommunicable
diseases’ . WMA is working closely with WHO and the steering committee to develop a
campaign and communication activities around that day.
Amid the rapidly evolving health care landscape, there remains a critical gap in
coordinated, high-level strategic guidance on patient safety. While valuable initiatives
exist, they often operate in isolation, lacking a unified platform to anticipate risks and drive
systemic change. In response, the Joint Commission International (JCI) has proposed the
establishment of a Global Patient Safety Leadership Council—a multi-stakeholder body
dedicated to fostering thought leadership, knowledge-sharing, and advocacy to shape the
global patient safety agenda. Aligned with JCI’s vision of ensuring the safest, highest-
quality care worldwide, the Council aims to serve as a central hub for dialogue and
transformative action. Dr Julia Tainijoki, Senior Medical Advisor, attended the Council’s
inaugural meeting, and the WMA will determine its formal participation in due course.
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4.2 Antimicrobial resistance & One Health
During World Antimicrobial Awareness Week in November 2025, the WMA together with
the members of WHPA organised a webinar with the title: Bridging Global Health
Agendas: NCDs, AMR, and Interprofessional Collaboration. As antimicrobial resistance
increases, so does the threat to millions of NCD patients who are at high risk of infection.
People living with non-communicable diseases are more vulnerable to drug-resistant
infections, and often have higher exposure to antimicrobials, for example due to diabetes-
related infections or because of cancer treatments. Given the diversity of NCD-related
health settings and specialities, it is vitally important to improve AMR stewardship across
the professions.
The WMA joined the AMR Multi-Stakeholder Partnership Platform, which aims to
engage and empower a multitude of cross-sectoral stakeholder voices to preserve
antimicrobials as lifesaving medicines and ensure their responsible use under a One Health
approach. The Secretariat of this platform is hosted by the Quadripartite organisations
(Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), United Nations
Environment Programme (UNEP), WHO, and the World Organisation for Animal Health
(WOAH)). WMA participated in the annual WHO AMR partners forum in December
2025, which focused on developing sustainable partnership coordination mechanisms to
share information, build capacity, accelerate implementation, improve efficiencies, and
document all contributions to AMR responses in countries.
WMA is a member of several workgroups and panels within this partnership. Dr Caline
Mattar was invited to represent the WMA in the Independent Panel on Evidence for Action
against Antimicrobial Resistance and is a member of the stewardship lifecycle subgroup to
develop a practical, comprehensive One Health framework for global and local
stewardship that ensures the availability of effective antimicrobials while curbing
resistance across human, animal, plant, and environmental sectors.
The WMA was selected as member for the WHO Civil Society Task Force on
Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR). The Task Force is meant to support and strengthen the
WHO’s engagement with nongovernmental organizations including civil society groups
globally, and to foster collaboration, build capacity, and amplify the voices of affected
communities in the fight against AMR. The mission of the Task Force is to ensure that
civil society groups can effectively contribute to the global AMR response, securing
equitable access to prevention, treatment, and care for all, especially vulnerable
populations.
WMA is participating in the global consultation on the WHO draft People-Centred
Framework for addressing antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in the human health
sector. The framework consists of interventions that span four pillars critical to overcome
people and systems’ challenges to address AMR – prevention of infections, access to
essential health services, timely and accurate diagnosis, and appropriate, quality-assured
treatment. The people-centred framework should inform governments on the prioritization
of country actions in the human health sector at the different levels of implementation, in a
manner that is integrated with broader health system strengthening and pandemic
preparedness efforts.
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4.3 Health emergencies
In December 2021, the World Health Assembly decided to develop a WHO convention,
agreement or other international instrument on pandemic prevention, preparedness and
response (“Pandemic Treaty”), and WMA was actively engaged in the process. The
instrument has recommendations for strengthening pandemic preparedness and response
according to the following categories: leadership and governance, systems and tools, and
financing and equity. Furthermore, it should be seen as an additional tool for WHO
alongside the International Health Regulations, which has aimed to prevent the
international spread of disease since 1969 (last revised in 2005).
At the World Health Assembly in May 2025, the INB was accepted and an open-ended
Intergovernmental Working Group (IGWG) on the WHO Pandemic Agreement was
established to define the modalities of implementation. WMA is observer to this working
group, and the first meeting took place in August and September 2025.
4.4 Health workforce and Health Systems
The WMA is a member of the Expert Advisory Group (EAG) to the Third Review of the
WHO Global Code of Practice on the International Recruitment of Health Personnel.
The interim recommendation of the Advisory Boards is to include additional elements to
the WHO Global Code of Practice from 2010:
• The provisions of the Code also apply to health personnel who migrate and take up
employment positions as care workers in destination countries. Now only migrants
who work as health personnel are counted.
• Member States with a high reliance on international health personnel, irrespective
of the mobility pathway or type of recruitment, could consider modalities of
support focused on mutually beneficial approaches, such as targeted co-investments
in partnership with source countries in specific areas of the health workforce and
health systems in the source countries.
• Development banks, donor agencies and financial and development institutions and
countries with responsibility for emergency financing should develop emergency
financing modalities to mitigate the risk of excessive health workforce depletion
during crises arising from a variety of causes.
Further, these agencies are encouraged to co-invest in priority areas of health systems
identified by countries as requiring support, with investments across the entire health
worker life cycle (education, employment, and retention) to optimize the management and
performance of the health workforce and improve population health. The WHO Executive
Committee approved the interim report of the Expert Advisory Group and it is up for
adoption at the next World Health Assembly.
The WMA participated in the OECD Business at OECD (BIAC) Health Forum in
December 2025 in Paris, represented by Dr Julia Tainijoki, Senior Medical Advisor. This
event brought together global leaders to explore how health can drive productivity,
economic resilience, and innovation. The Forum’s agenda highlighted critical topics such
as predictive health, climate-resilient health systems, workforce readiness, and innovative
financing models—all areas where the WMA’s expertise and advocacy can contribute
meaningfully. As the officially recognized business stakeholder at the OECD, BIAC offers
a unique platform for the WMA to engage with OECD and get direct information on the
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global health activities of OECD. Participation in BIAC provides the WMA with valuable
opportunities to influence policy debates, share best practices, and collaborate with key
stakeholders to address pressing health challenges in OECD member countries and
beyond. WMA will determine its formal membership in BIAC as a way to strengthen our
cooperation and influence in OECD in due course.
5. HEALTH POLICY & EDUCATION
5.1 Medical and health policy development and education
See under chapter II “Partnerships and collaboration.”
5.2 Support for national constituent members
See chapter II, section 2.2 “Protecting patients and physicians.”
CHAPTER II PARTNERSHIP & COLLABORATION
1. REGIONAL MEDICAL ASSOCIATIONS AND STANDING CONFERENCES
The WMA maintains a regular and close relation with the regional groups of medical
associations, the African Coalition of Medical Associations, the Confederation of Medical
Associations of Asia and Oceania (CMAAO), the Confederación Médica Latinoamericana y
del Caribe (CONFEMEL), Standing Committee of European Doctors (CPME), the European
Forum of Medical Associations (EFMA), the Medical Associations of the member states of the
Association of South East Asian Nations (MASEAN), the Southeast European Medical Forum
(SEEMF) and SARC (South Asia regional Council).
During the reporting period, the WMA Secretariat held bilateral meetings with the WHO and
staff of other UN agencies on various areas and voiced the WMA’s opinion and concerns in
public settings as follows2
:
2. WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO)
158th Executive Board (February 2026)
• Follow-up to the political declaration of the high-level meeting of the General Assembly on
the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases
• Mental Health
• Communicable diseases: Immunisation Agenda 2030
• Primary Health Care
• Health in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
• Harmonization of regulatory approaches, governance and standards for data, digital health
and artificial intelligence in the health sector (WHPA constituency statement)
• Economics of health for all (WHPA constituency statement)
Other WHO meetings attended during the reporting period:
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– Dr Lujain AlQodmani was selected to continue as a member of the Steering Committee of
the WHO Civil Society Commission and be the representative of the World Medical
Association
– Intergovernmental Working Group (IGWG) on the WHO Pandemic Agreement
– WHO World Patient Safety Day 2026 steering committee meeting: “Patient safety in
noncommunicable diseases”
– Launch of the WHO handbook on integrated care for older people (ICOPE): guidance for
person-centred assessment and pathways in primary care
– WMA Junior Doctors Network Immediate Past President Marie-Claire Wangari and Dr
Yassen Tcholakov, participated in the WHO Youth Council in September 2024. Pablo
Estrella Porter is the WMA JDN representative for 2024-2026.
– The Chair of the WMA MEC and the Secretary General participated in a WHO working
group on Clinical Ethics in 2024 and 2025. The work focuses on the need for ethics support
in clinical settings. A final report is not foreshadowed before the end of 2025.
3. OTHER UN AGENCIES
AGENCY ACTIVITIES
Human Rights Council (HRC) of the
United Nations
– Monitoring activities related to health
Promotion of relevant HRC activities on
human rights and health through the
WMA’s media channels
UN Special Rapporteurs (SR) on the right to
the enjoyment of the highest attainable
standard of physical and mental health / on
violence against women and girls / on torture
and detention.
– Monitoring the activities of the Special
Rapporteurs and promotion of relevant
activities through the WMA’s media
channels
– Submission of WMA contribution focused
on detention on death row from both a
medical and ethical perspective.
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
(UNODC)
– Participation in an Expert Group meeting on
the use of technology in prisons organised
by the United Nations Office on Drugs and
Crime (UNODC) and the International
Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) on 10-
12 November in Vienna.
UNAIDS – Regular exchange of information
OECD – Regular exchange of information
– Invitation to participate in the International
Conference on the Responsible Scale of AI
in Health Care organised by the Ministry of
Health of Spain and the OECD, on 28-29
May 2026 in Spain
– Collaboration on surveying WMA members
and partner organisations on the
financialisation of ambulatory care
– Attending the BIAC Health Forum in
December 2025
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– Attending pre-consultation meeting for the
International Conference on the Responsible
Scale of AI in Health Care
International Organisation for Migration
(IOM), Health Division
– Regular exchange of information
– Promotion of relevant IOM activities on
migration and health through WMA’s media
channels
– OECD High-Level Policy Forum on the
Future of People-Centred Health Innovation
–
Council of Europe – Santiago de
Compostella Convention Against
Trafficking in Human Organs
– https://www.coe.int/en/web/trafficking-
human-organs
– The Convention against Trafficking in
Human Organs is the first international
convention fighting organ trafficking. For
countries ratifying the convention, it
becomes a legally binding international
instrument. The convention is open to all
countries, not only European countries.
– The convention is monitored by a
Conference of Parties (COP) to which the
WMA has been granted observer status in
recognition of its work in the field of organ
transplantation.
– For the WMA Council, Dr Tomas Cobo
serves as observer.
4. WORLD HEALTH PROFESSIONS ALLIANCE (WHPA)
The World Health Professions Alliance (WHPA) and the WMA are actively engaged in
advocating for the central role of health professionals in addressing global health challenges. At the
4th United Nations High-Level Meeting on Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) and Mental
Health in September 2025, WHPA leaders highlighted the urgent need for governments to invest in
their health workforce, warning that commitments in the Political Declaration risk failure without
adequate support. WHPA stressed the importance of empowering health professionals with the right
policies, resources, and collaborative opportunities to deliver high-quality, integrated care for
individuals living with NCDs.
Additionally, during the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Belém,
Brazil, WHPA called on global leaders to place health professionals at the heart of implementing
the Belém Health Action Plan (BHAP). This plan serves as a global roadmap for building climate-
resilient and sustainable health systems, underscoring the critical link between environmental action
and public health. Both initiatives reflect WHPA and WMA’s commitment to ensuring that health
professionals are equipped and positioned to drive meaningful change in global health policy and
practice.
During World Antimicrobial Awareness Week in November 2025, WHPA organised a webinar
entitled “Bridging Global Health Agendas: NCDs, AMR, and Interprofessional Collaboration”
and started a social media campaign. For more information, please see 4.2.
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5. MEDICAL SUPPORT FOR UKRAINE
With the outbreak of war in Ukraine in February 2022, the WMA Secretariat, its members and
partners immediately mobilised to condemn the aggression and provide medical support to the
victims.
In March 2022, the WMA together with the European Forum of Medical Associations (EFMA)
and the Standing Committee of European Doctors (CPME) set up a Ukraine Medical Help
Fund to assist persons with medical needs suffering under the war. The fund is governed by a
taskforce composed of the founding members of the Fund (Steering Committee), in cooperation
with the Polish Chamber of Doctors and Dentists, the Slovakian Medical Association and the
Slovakian Medical Chamber, the Japan Medical Association, the French Medical Association
and the State Chamber of Physicians of Saxony. The activities are overseen by WMA Past-
President Prof. Dr Leonid Eidelman.
The primary purpose of the fund is to collect medical supplies and other equipment to maintain
health care in Ukraine in cooperation with the Ukrainian Medical Association as well as
member and partner organisations in Ukraine and the neighbouring countries.
WMA members were invited to contribute to the fund. As of 1 January 2026, 1 131 746.07
Euros remained in the fund after using these donations, for purchasing and delivering medical
equipment, supplies, medicine, field evacuation vehicles, blood bank equipment, warming tents
and transportation in 2025 at 491 612 Euros.
We are grateful for the help we have received from many volunteers, especially at the State
Chamber of Physicians of Hesse, the University Hospital Frankfurt, and the private society
“Hope for Ukraine.”
This assistance was underlined by two resolutions of the General Assembly in Berlin: The
“WMA Resolution in support of Medical Personnel and Citizens of Ukraine in the face of the
Russian invasion” and the “WMA Resolution on Humanitarian and Medical Aid to Ukraine”.
6. WMA COOPERATING CENTRES
The WMA is proud to enjoy the support of academic cooperating centres. The WMA
Cooperating Centres bring specific scientific expertise to our projects and/or policy work,
improving our professional profile and outreach.
WMA Cooperating Centre Areas of cooperation
Institute of Ethics and History of Medicine,
University of Tübingen, Germany
Revising the Declaration of Helsinki, medical
ethics
Institut de droit de la santé, Université de
Neuchâtel, Switzerland
International health law, developing and
promoting the Declaration of Taipei, revising the
Declaration of Helsinki, medical ethics,
deontology, sports medicine
International Chair in Bioethics In recent years, the WMA has supported the
“International World Conference on Bioethics,
Medical Ethics and Health Law” organised by the
International Chair in Bioethics, previously
organised by Prof. Dr Amnon Carmi, now by
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Prof. Rui Nunes, University of Porto. The
conference serves as a platform to discuss WMA’s
current policies with physicians, ethicists, and
other scientists.
The growing international network of academic
ethics and law departments, which has been
meeting for the past two decades under the title
UNESCO Chair in Bioethics, has been
reorganised as the International Chair in
Bioethics – ICB. Following the Secretariat’s
proposal, the WMA Council agreed to sign a
Memorandum of Understanding with the ICB to
continue cooperation with this network and to
award it the status of a “WMA Cooperating
Centre.”
The 17th
World Conference on Bioethics, Medical
Ethics and Health Law is scheduled for the 24-26
November 2025 in Ljubljana, Slovenia.
7. WORLD FEDERATION FOR MEDICAL EDUCATION
In 1972, the World Medical Association, along with the WHO and six regional representations
of medical faculties, founded the World Federation for Medical Education (WFME). The group
was later joined by the Educational Commission for foreign Medical Graduates, the
International Federation of Students Associations, and the Junior Doctors Network.
WFME has three major areas of work:
– The recognition programme evaluates agencies against internationally accepted criteria for
accreditation. This programme has been successfully launched over the past decade in the
area of basic medical education.
– The World Directory of Medical Schools is maintained together with FAIMER and other
organizations. It contains information on over 2,900 schools, both operational and
historical. Each record highlights available school details including start year, school type,
operational status, programme details and contact information.
– The Global Standards for Quality Improvement of Medical Education, covering basic
(undergraduate) medical education (BME); postgraduate medical education (PGME); and
continuing professional development (CPD) of medical doctors
The WFME recently published the revised Standards for Post-Graduate Medical Education and
is currently exploring development of a system for the recognition of accreditation for PGME
analogue to its system in Basic Medical Education. The chair has asked Dr Hans-Albert Gehle
(German Medical Association) to represent the WMA in this exploration.
In 2025, the WFME started a common project together with the International Academy for
CPD Accreditation, and the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (USA).
This project transfers the experiences of the recognition of accreditation programme of WFME
into the area of CPD/CME. It aims to achieve high quality levels of CPD/CME internationally.
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The World Medical Association participated with President Lujain AlQodmani and Secretary
General Otmar Kloiber at the World Conference on Medical Education in Bangkok 25-28 May
2025. With around 1,000 participants, the conference was a great success and helped to foster
the idea of common standards in medical education. The conference was created in the 1950s
by the WMA and was later taken over by WFME. It brings together medical educators from
across the globe to discuss methods and strategies for medical education.
8. VIENNA CONGRESS 27 JANUARY 2025
After receiving the Golden Arrow Award in 2021, the World Medical Association has now
participated for the fifth time in the annual Vienna Congress, which brings together scientists,
Nobel Prize laureates, politicians, entrepreneurs and medical leaders to discuss current
challenges and innovative solutions.
The 23rd Vienna Congress was held under the theme “Preparing for the Future.” As in
previous years, the WMA President was invited to participate in the discussions.
At the opening session, Dr Jacqueline Kitulu delivered a keynote presentation on medicine and
the arts and presented the laudation for this year’s special awardee, the World Doctors
Orchestra.
Dr Kitulu also participated in the panel discussion “The Future of Medicine: Digital,
Connected, Innovative.” Dr Otmar Kloiber, WMA Secretary General, took part in the panel
discussion “Europe’s Future: From Connectivity to Critical Resources.”
9. WORLD CONTINUING EDUCATION ALLIANCE (WCEA)
The World Medical Association has signed an agreement with the WCEA to provide an online
education portal that will enable the WMA to host its online education and also offer an
opportunity for member associations to develop their own portals and online content. This offer
is directed specifically at medical associations and societies that wish to engage in providing
online education. Interested groups, medical schools or academies are invited to contact
wma@weca.education or visit www.wcea.education for more information. The educational
platform was launched in June 2018. In September 2019, the WMA also launched courses for
non-members. These courses have been updated, and the new versions are available at
https://www.wma.net/what-we-do/education/wcea-cme-courses/. The member-accessible portal
is available in the members’ area after log-in.
10. OTHER PARTNERSHIPS OR COLLABORATIONS WITH HEALTH AND HUMAN
RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS
Organisation Activity
Amnesty International Exchange of information and support on human rights issues
related to health and the protection of health personnel.
Committee on Human Rights
(CHR) of the US National
Academies of Sciences,
Engineering & Medicine
(NASEM)
– Member of the Collaborative Forum on Attacks against
Health Professionals set up by the NASEM Committee on
Human Rights in early 2022
– Contribution to the bi-annual meetings of the Forum
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Council for International
Organizations of Medical
Sciences (CIOMS)
Development of guidance for the scientific community on
medicine and health care in general. The WMA is a member
and currently represented on the Executive Board and
participates in various work groups on matters of research in
resource poor settings, patient information, and healthy
research subjects. Current publications can be found on the
website of CIOMS (https://cioms.ch/)
Global Alliance on Alcohol
Policy (GAPA)
Regular exchange of information, in the context of the WHO
action plan (2022-2030) to effectively implement the WHOs
Global Alcohol Strategy as a public health priority.
Global Climate & Health
Alliance (GCHA)
WMA and GCHA agreed on a mutual partnership in 2023.
Regular exchange of information and collaboration within the
context of the UN Climate Change Conference and WHO-
Civil Society Working group to Advance Action on Climate
and Health.
Global Health Justice
Partnership of the Yale Law
School and School of Public
health (GHJP)
Contact on issues of common interest on sexual orientation
and gender identity in sport.
Human Rights Watch Regular contact on issues of common interest on sexual
orientation and gender identity
International Committee of
the Red Cross (ICRC)
– Partners on the Health Care in Danger (HCiD) initiative
since September 2011
– Memorandum of Understanding between the ICRC and
the WMA signed in November 2016
– Collaboration in the context of violence against health
personnel, on WHO Global Health and Peace Initiative
and detention related issues.
– Ad hoc consultations on WMA’s policies of shared
concern, subject to revision
International Council of
Military Medicine (ICMM)
– A Memorandum of Understanding between the ICMM and
the WMA was signed at the WMA General Assembly in
October 2017 (Chicago)
– Regular information exchange in the context of violence
against health personnel in conflict settings
International Federation of
Associations of
Pharmaceutical Physicians
(IFAPP)
Cooperation on issues of human experimentation and
pharmaceutical development & the role of physicians in this
process. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed at the
WMA General Assembly, October 2017 (Chicago), and was
renewed in February 2023.
Together with the WMA, IFAPP is exploring the possibility
of a course on medicines’ development for physicians in
clinical research, ethics committees or regulation.
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On 6 May, WMA participated in the IFAPP webinar “”Ethics
in Data-driven Research: WMA Declaration of Taipei on
Health Databases and Biobanks” Part 1: Introduction and
future direction.
IFAPP continues to be involved in our DoT revision process.
International Federation of
Medical Students Associations
(IFMSA)
Internship programme since 2013.
Regular collaboration, mostly in relation to WHO statutory
meetings.
Participation of WMA officers and officials in the pre-World
Health Assembly IFMSA conference in Geneva.
International Physicians for
the Prevention of Nuclear War
(IPPNW)
– Information exchange and regular joint actions since
January 2021 related to the entry into force of the UN
Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.
– During the reporting period, collaborated to advocate for
the update of WHO’s studies on the effects of nuclear war
on health.
International Rehabilitation
Council for Torture Victims
(IRCT)
– Exchange of information on specific cases or situations
related to the role of health personnel to prevent /
document torture
Médecins Sans Frontières
(MSF)
– WMA and MSF agreed on a mutual partnership in 2023
– Regular exchange of information and collaboration in the
context of violence against health personnel.
Physicians for Human Rights
(PHR)
Regular exchange of information on attacks against health
personnel and respect of the human right to health.
Pontifical Academy for Life Cooperation on current issues of medical ethics or socio-
medical affairs i.e. the Declaration of Helsinki, Declaration of
Taipei, by webinars mutual invitation or joint events.
Safeguarding Health in
Conflict Coalition
– Observer status in the coalition
– Regular exchange of information
Sustainable Health Equity
Movement (SHEM)
Joint advocacy for Health Equity
University of Pennsylvania
International Internship
Program
Annual internship programme on health policy, public health,
human rights, and project management. 2-3 students usually
come as interns to our office for the summer. The programme
has been running since 2014.
World Psychiatric Association
(WPA)
Regular contacts and exchange of information
World Veterinary Association
(WVA)
On the occasion of the WVA General Assembly 2025, on 18
July, the WVA and WMA renewed their Memorandum of
Understanding. Both organisations want to jointly tackle
questions under “One Health” like antimicrobial resistance,
zoonosis, pandemic preparedness and food safety with respect
to common activities and common educational efforts.
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CHAPTER III COMMUNICATION & OUTREACH
11. PRESS RELEASES
Eighteen press releases have been issued over the past 5 months, available below in reverse
chronological order.
03.03.2026 World Medical Association Announces Appointment of Dr Ramin Parsa-Parsi as
Secretary General
18.02.2026 World Health Professions Alliance Calls for Urgent Global Action to Protect
Health Personnel from Violence and Persecution
02.02.2026 An Open Letter Ahead of the 158th WHO Executive Board and 79th World Health
Assembly
28.01.2026 World Physicians Urge Iran to End Violence Against Health Personnel
21.01.2026 WMA Condemns Violence Against Medical Personnel in Syria
15.01.2026 World Medical Association Appeals for Rapid and Unobstructed Delivery of
Emergency Aid in Gaza
15.01.2026 World Medical Association Condemns the Attack on Ilam Hospital and Violations
of Medical Neutrality in Iran
14.01.2026 The EU Biotech Act Must Safeguard Ethical Standards For Clinical Trials
11.11.2025 World Medical Association Welcomes COP30 Health Community
Recommendations Ahead of Health Day
07.11.2025 WMA Calls on Israel to Ensure Fair Trial Standards for Detained Gaza Physician
06.11.2025 WHPA Urges COP30 to Build Climate-Smart, Health Professional-Led Health
Systems under the Belém Health Action Plan
31.10.2025 World Medical Association Strongly Condemns the Massacre of Patients and
Health Workers in Sudan
21.10.2025 The World Medical Association General Assembly 2025 in Summary
15.10.2025 World Medical Association Emphasizes the Importance of Physician Leadership in
Health Care Amid Global Workforce Shortages
14.10.2025 World Physician Leaders Call for Ethical, Physician-Led Integration of Artificial
and Augmented Intelligence in Health Care
13.10.2025 World Medical Association Urges Israeli Government to Uphold Humanitarian
Law and Protect Health care in Gaza
10.10.2025 New WMA President Calls for Global Physician Solidarity, Mentorship and
Primary Health care Advocacy
02.10.2025 World Medical Association Calls for Immediate Release of Dr Ahmadreza Djalali
12. WMA NEWSLETTER
The WMA Secretariat issues a bi-monthly e-newsletter for its members. The Secretariat
appreciates any comments and suggestions for developing this service and making it as useful
for members as possible. The Newsletter is sent to over 4,500 recipients, through a mailing
system that complies with GDPR regulations.
13. WMA SOCIAL MEDIA (X, LINKEDIN, FACEBOOK, BLUESKY AND YOUTUBE)
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The World Medical Association is active on five social media channels (X, LinkedIn, Facebook
Bluesky and YouTube). We encourage members to spread the word within their associations to
follow WMA activities on social media, and WMA interacts with members’ posts. Besides
communicating WMA activities, events and policies, the accounts have proved a powerful
advocacy tool for supporting WMA Constituent Members in difficult political and social
contexts.
X (formerly Twitter): the number of followers has grown to more than 17,000. There have been
increased interactions for WMA advocacy, short videos, and for new WMA policies and press
releases. Concerns exist over the neutrality of the platform.
LinkedIn: The number of followers has reached more than 16,000 reflecting substantial growth
compared to the previous year. Popular content has included short videos, event highlights,
advocacy messages, and controversial topics related to military conflicts.
Facebook: Short videos, updates, photos from events and impactful advocacy messages
have resonated strongly with our audience of 16,000 followers.
Bluesky: The WMA opened an account on Bluesky, an alternative social media platform to X,
at the end of November 2024. The same content is posted here as across the other WMA social
media channels, and we are steadily building a base of followers with medical/public
health/medical ethics backgrounds.
YouTube: The WMA YouTube channel continues to serve as a repository for video content
and educational resources, including recordings of webinars organised by WMA working
groups and associate members, interventions made during WHO Executive Board and World
Health Assembly sessions, and statements from WMA leadership.
The channel also hosts recordings of policy discussions, expert meetings and thematic
webinars, contributing to the accessibility of WMA’s work for a broader international
audience. It currently has almost 1,000 subscribers.
14. WORLD MEDICAL JOURNAL
The World Medical Journal (WMJ) is issued every three months and includes articles on WMA
activities and feature articles by members and partners. The WMJ is available on the WMA
website in an electronic format. Dr Helena Chapman holds the position of editor-in-chief of the
Journal, and it is managed by Ms Maira Sudraba of the Latvian Medical Association.
15. WMA ANNUAL REPORT
The WMA started issuing Annual Reports in 2017. These reports highlight the main activities
of the WMA, focusing on the report of the President and events organised around topics such
as Health, Environment, NCDs, Human Rights, but also on the categories of WMA
Membership and the Financial Report. They are available on the WMA website and a limited
number of copies are distributed at the WMA Council and General Assembly.
16. SECONDMENTS/INTERNSHIPS
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We have been running an internship programme with the IFMSA since 2013. Our internship
programme with the University of Pennsylvania (UPENN), has been running with two or three
interns per year since 2014, remotely in 2021, and in-person internships again since 2022. In
2026, two bioethics students from UPENN and one or two IFMSA students are expected for
the internship.
17. JDN NEWSLETTER
The WMA Junior Doctors Network prepares and issues its own newsletter to inform about the
work of the JDN and on global, regional or national topics pertaining to the work of young
physicians. The JDN Newsletter is available on the WMA website in the JDN Section. In
addition to the newsletter, the JDN launched a podcast, featuring insightful discussions led by
young physicians on topics ranging from global health and leadership to medical ethics and
advocacy.
18. WMA GLOSSARY
The WMA Glossary, which defines the terms in the WMA policies, was launched in October
2023 at the General Assembly. It is accessible through the members’ area of WMA’s website.
CHAPTER IV OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE
1. STRATEGIC PLAN 2026-2030
The WMA Strategic Plan 2026-2030 was adopted in October 2025 in Porto and available at the
WMA website: https://www.wma.net/what-we-do/wma-strategic-plan/
CHAPTER V ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The Secretariat wishes to record its appreciation of member associations and individual members
for their interest in, and cooperation with, the World Medical Association and its Council during the
past year. We thank all those who have represented the WMA at various meetings and gratefully
acknowledge the collaboration and guidance received from the officers, as well as the Association’s
editors, its legal, public relations and financial advisors, staff of constituent members, council
advisors, associate members, friends of the Association, cooperating centres, partner organisations
and officials.
We wish to mention the excellent working relationships we have with colleagues and experts in
international, regional, and national organisations, be they (inter-)governmental or private. We
highly appreciate their willingness and efforts to enable our cooperation.
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13.03.2026