Our Scans · (LF.3) Good Health and Well-being · Weekly Summary

In September 2015, 193 world leaders agreed to 17 Global Goals for Sustainable Development. If these Goals are completed, it would mean an end to extreme poverty, inequality and climate change by 2030.
Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.

• [New] Effective pandemic responses should focus on strengthening health systems and surveillance worldwide, while continuing to protect older adults who remain at higher risk of severe disease. PubMed Central (PMC)
• [New] NGEU and the MFF 2021-2027 have boosted investments in EU programmes aimed at preparing for future public health and cross-border crises, including more funding for emergency aid programmes and public health research. European Papers
• [New] The Commission expects a €4.2 trillion global investment in providing a response to the health crisis and its consequences. European Papers
• [New] MedConnect Portugal will create a sophisticated environment where European and international physicians can build strategic collaborations, exchange high-level clinical insights, and explore emerging opportunities in longevity, regenerative medicine, and innovation-driven healthcare. ISSCA
• [New] Healthcare leadership is expecting AI to contribute to clinical decision-making; a Deloitte study finds that 62% of healthcare leaders see promise in generative AI for quicker decision-making. West Health Mosaic
• [New] The health workforce is anticipated to fall short of what is needed by up to 3.2 million health care workers by 2026. West Health Mosaic
• [New] A public health AI system will be deployed globally (US, EU, UK). Bryan Tegomoh
• [New] AI could deepen inequality between nations, with wealthier economies reaping early gains, while poorer countries risk being left behind. Al Jazeera
• [New] Children in the UK will grow up to be one of the unhealthiest generations in decades, with child health outcomes having declined or stalled completely across all areas, a group of leading paediatricians has said. The Guardian
• [New] Within WHO's Second European Programme of Work 2026-2030, driving climate health action and protecting populations from environmental risk is a key priority that is closely tied to maximizing health security. World Health Organization: WHO
• [New] People who have underlying conditions such as asthma and heart disease or who are pregnant, as well as children, are at an increased risk and should be extra cautious. Scientific American
• [New] Concerns have been raised over the years about possible links between aluminium and health conditions such as breast cancer or Alzheimer's, but major health organizations, including Cancer Research UK, say there is no convincing evidence that antiperspirants increase the risk of either condition. The Guardian
• [New] Despite decades of unequivocal evidence and well-developed policy frameworks including the World Health Organization's Global Action Plan on Physical Activity and its target of a 15% relative reduction in inactivity by 2030, population-level outcomes have remained stagnant. EurekAlert!
• [New] Pressure is expected to build up against average Iranians, as well as global energy markets due to the US blockade. Al Jazeera
• [New] Funding will expand health care exploration for Ohio students in 8th grade and high school through programs such as summer camps and career fairs, and by exposing college undergraduates and graduate students to opportunities in health care. The Ohio Society of CPAs
• [New] Dynamical models now assign a 90% chance of the 2026-2027 El Nino being an all-time record event, sending temperatures in the Pacific Ocean up to around 3.6 degrees Celsius (6.5 degrees Fahrenheit) above average. Live Science
• [New] Nanoplastics can interact with environmental microbes in ways that may create indirect risks to human health, especially through drinking water systems. ScienceDaily
• [New] The United States is an important donor of MCMs during international public health emergencies, but often faces a myriad of legal, logistical, and financial barriers in sharing MCMs with nations affected by biological threats. PubMed Central (PMC)
• [New] The National Cyber Security Centre, part of GCHQ, highlighted that Center 16 of Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) is scanning the internet for routers using default or weak Simple Network Management Protocol passwords, as well as exploiting known vulnerabilities in Cisco devices. UKAuthority
• [New] The World Health Organization has issued updated global guidelines aimed at reducing the risk of cognitive decline and dementia, saying that up to 45% of cases may be preventable or delayed by addressing modifiable risk factors throughout life. UN News
• [New] A quarter of Americans will need to access behavioral health treatment by the year 2026. / USA www.carelonbehavioralhealth.com
• Healthy life expectancy - the years in which a person can expect to live in good health - has fallen in the UK in recent years, while it has increased in most other wealthy countries. BBC News
• The world is closer than ever to ending AIDS as a public health threat. George W. Bush Presidential Center

Last updated: 20 July 2026