Dear Joseph,
"Surely, the rest of the world, especially scientific world including those in the USA who still believe in true and reliable science that has successfully changed the world we live in for better, who comprise the vast majority, and if combined, have more resources than any one nation, should stop ‘begging’ the misinformation cohort, and rather mobilize and sustain true science and reliable information!"
Yes indeed. For the benefit of new members, I would like to recap HIFA's work to mobilise and sustain true science and reliable healthcare information.
Our achievements are shown here: https://www.hifa.org/about-hifa/achievements
For several years it has been clear that universal access to reliable healthcare information cannot be achieved by HIFA alone. HIFA's secretariat has only one professional staff (myself) and a part-time administrator (Clare). HIFA has long argued that a much larger organisation is needed to accelerate progress towards our goal of universal access to reliable healthcare information.
The World Health Organization is uniquely placed to do this, and in 2022 HIFA (administered by the non-profit Global Healthcare Information Network) became an NGO in official relations with WHO. In 2023//4 we conducted a global consultation which concluded that WHO should explicitly champion the goal of universal access to reliable healthcare information and should convene stakeholders to develop a global strategy for its realisation (with support from HIFA). https://www.hifa.org/news/press-release-global-health-advocates-call-wor...
The goal of universal access to reliable healthcare information is implicit in WHO's Constitution 1948, but has not been championed explicitly. Over the past few years, thanks to HIFA advocacy, WHO has edged closer to explicitly championing the goal of universal access.
On 11 February 2025 the WHO Executive Board approved renewal of our official relations status (we await official confirmation). This is based on a new HIFA-WHO Collaboration Plan 2025-2027 which includes the following agreed text:
"Activity 1.1: At WHO`s request, provide technical input for WHO`s consideration that may inform *its work to accelerate progress towards universal access to reliable healthcare information* ..." (my emphasis)
"Activity 1.2: As requested by WHO, provide technical input for WHO`s consideration that may inform the Organization`s activities when *considering the feasibility and development of a global strategy* for universal access to reliable healthcare information..." (my emphasis)
The full Plan is publicly available here:
https://publicspace.who.int/sites/GEM/official_relations_details.aspx?id...
The HIFA-WHO Collaboration Group will be meeting in the coming weeks to discuss how to move this forward. We are also supported by The Lancet Global Health.
We alone are responsible for raising the funds needed to take forward the Collaboration Plan. To date, we are grateful to the Elsevier Foundation for providing financial support. I would also like to thank all 20 organisations (in addition to WHO) who have pledged practical support to HIFA for 2025, and invite others to do the same. Organisations that provide financial (£100+) or in-kind support are recognised on the HIFA home page (www.hifa.org), publications and presentations. Financial support may be unrestricted or allocated to a new Project (www.hifa.org/projects) or to the HIFA-WHO Collaboration Plan. Please contact us: admin@hifa.org
If WHO were to explicitly champion universal access to reliable healthcare information and convene stakeholders to develop a global strategy, we shall have the collective capacity to 'mobilize and sustain true science and reliable information'.
Best wishes, Neil
HIFA profile: Neil Pakenham-Walsh is coordinator of HIFA (Healthcare Information For All), a global health community that brings all stakeholders together around the shared goal of universal access to reliable healthcare information. HIFA has 20,000 members in 180 countries, interacting in four languages and representing all parts of the global evidence ecosystem. HIFA is administered by Global Healthcare Information Network, a UK-based nonprofit in official relations with the World Health Organization. Email: neil@hifa.org