WHO standards on reporting clinical trial results

A health worker in Brazil, holding up a test tube for a research on mosquitoes and dengue
WHO/J. Takayama

18 May 2017 – Some of the world’s largest funders of medical research and international non-governmental organizations agreed on new standards that will require all clinical trials they fund or support to be registered and the results disclosed publicly. Currently, about 50% of clinical trials go unreported, often because the results are negative. These unreported trial results leave an incomplete and potentially misleading picture of the risks and benefits of vaccines, drugs and medical devices, and can lead to use of suboptimal or even harmful products.

World Health Statistics: Cause of almost half of all deaths recorded

Almost half of all deaths globally now have a recorded cause.
WHO

17 May 2017 – Almost half of all deaths globally are now recorded with a cause, new data from WHO show, highlighting improvements countries have made on collecting vital statistics and monitoring progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). WHO’s World Health Statistics compiles data from the organization’s 194 Member States on 21 health-related SDG targets, providing a snapshot of both gains and threats to the health of the world’s people.

Happier people in Bhutan by beating noncommunicable diseases

Monks playing football and being physically active at a Buddhist monastery in Bhutan, in line with the country's push to beat NCDs.
WHO/P. Dodedrak

17 May 2017 – In Bhutan, protecting people from cardiovascular and lung diseases, cancers, and diabetes is a national priority: the country has put in place a national plan to prevent and control these noncommunicable diseases. Bhutan is also the first country in the WHO South-East Asian Region to implement WHO’s package of essential noncommunicable disease interventions for primary health care in low-resource settings nationwide.

More than 1.2 million adolescents die every year

Two mekong youth enjoy time together.
WHO

16 May 2017 – More than 3000 adolescents die every day, totalling 1.2 million deaths a year, from largely preventable causes, according to a new report from WHO and partners. In 2015, more than two thirds of these deaths occurred in low- and middle-income countries in Africa and South-East Asia. Road traffic injuries, lower respiratory infections, and suicide are the biggest causes of death among adolescents.

Regional Director travels to Kinshasa to discuss Ebola response

Dr. Moeti with experts in Kinshasa discussing in front of the map of Democratic Republic of the Congo.
WHO/E. Kabambi

13 May 2017 – The WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti, today visited Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of the Congo) to discuss with national authorities and partners ways to mount a rapid, effective, and coherent response in order to stop the ongoing Ebola outbreak.

More top stories »

Outbreaks and emergencies

Emergencies » Food insecurity and famine » Iraq » Nigeria » South Sudan » Syrian Arab Republic » Yemen »

Report by Director-General

Dr Margaret Chan, Director-General of WHO speaking at the plenary session of the Sixty-sixth World Health Assembly.

Ten years in public health 2007-2017

A report that chronicles the evolution of global public health over the decade that Dr Margaret Chan has served as Director-General at WHO.

Highlights

  • WHO list of priority medical devices for cancer management
    May 2017 – From kick buckets to MRI units, medical devices are an indispensable part of preventing, diagnosing and treating cancer, as well as for palliative care for cancer patients. WHO's new List of priority medical devices for cancer management describes hundreds of devices that are needed for six types of cancer: breast, cervical, colorectal, leukemia, lung and prostate.
  • WHO responds to resurgent cholera in Yemen
    May 2017 – WHO and partners are responding to an upsurge in cholera transmission in several parts of Yemen that has claimed 51 lives and caused around 2752 suspected cases since 27 April 2017. WHO has rapidly distributed medicines and medical supplies, including cholera kits, oral rehydration solutions and intravenous (IV) fluids as well as medical furniture and equipment for diarrhoea treatment centres.
  • Preparing for the next influenza pandemic
    May 2017 – This year the World Health Assembly will receive the first review of the Pandemic Influenza Preparedness (PIP) Framework – an agreement helping to prepare the world for the next influenza pandemic by ensuring that all countries, whether rich or poor, have access to influenza vaccines.
  • Somalia launches second cholera vaccination campaign in Baidoa
    May 2017 – WHO and the Federal Ministry of Health of Somalia launched the first round of a preventative oral cholera vaccination campaign (OCV) in Baidoa at the Baidoa Regional Hospital, targeting 224 000 persons aged 1 year and older. The vaccination campaign is in response to a major cholera outbreak in Somalia that began in January 2017.

What we do

Dr Chan, WHO Director-General, visits Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India, three of the four countries where indigenous transmission of wild poliovirus has not yet been interrupted.
WHO

Health emergencies programme

Fact sheets

Election of Director-General

A close-up of the Director-General's seat in the WHO Executive Boardroom.
WHO/N. Bojgaard

Disease outbreak news

Events

Tweets from WHO

World No Tobacco Day, 31 May

World No Tobacco Day 2017

Tobacco - a threat to development

The campaign proposes measures that governments and the public can take to promote health and development by confronting the global tobacco crisis.

Sustainable Development Goals

Sustainable development goals poster

From MDGs to SDGs

Road traffic safety

Pedestrains cross the road in New Delhi, India.

"We can save so many lives around the world if we just slow down. Each year, more than 1.25 million people – many of them young people – die in automobile crashes."