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Together for Better Liver Health
Strengthening Public Health Responses to Metabolic Disease
A Policy Event on the sidelines of WHA 78
On May 22, 2025, GLI convened a high-level policy event, on the sidelines of the 78th World Health Assembly in Geneva. This policy event, co-hosted by Global Liver Institute (GLI), the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL), and the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) and endorsed by over 20 international medical societies and organizations, served as a Call to Action for Member States and the WHO to:
- Formally recognize SLD as a Core NCD, ensuring it is included alongside cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, obesity, and other major NCDs.
- Expand public awareness campaigns to educate individuals on SLD risk factors and the importance of early detection and treatment.
- Integrate SLD into NCDs prevention programs, aligning efforts with existing public health initiatives targeting obesity, lifestyle interventions, and metabolic health.
- Support research and data collection to advance understanding of SLD’s epidemiology, prevention, and treatment.
During the event, the second edition of the policy report was released. This report reveals a few key themes: limited public understanding of liver health, widespread disparities and underdiagnosis, and a need for public awareness of the impact of obesity on liver health. The policies presented aim to address these issues.
This new edition features five new case studies from Brazil, Japan, Mexico, Spain, and Qatar that demonstrate the integration of liver health into clinical pathways and broader health frameworks.
Panel 1: Whole Health, Whole Systems: Creating Coherent Policies for Metabolic Diseases
Speakers from left to right:
Larry R. Holden, Moderator
President & Chief Executive Officer, Global Liver Institute
Arun J. Sanyal, MD, Mbbs, Prof.
Director, Stravitz-Sanyal Institute for Liver Disease and Metabolic Health, School of Medicine, Internal Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University
Mary Ann Palermo-Maestral
Undersecretary, Department of Health, Philippines
Marta Zapata-Tarres, MD, PhD
Sub Secretary for Health and Director for National Institutes of Health, Mexico
Katie Dain, MA
Chief Executive Officer, NCD Alliance
Shri Saurabh Jain
Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India
Mohammad Hamad Al-Thani, MD, MBA, Prof.
Director of Non-Communicable Diseases Prevention Programs, Ministry of Health, Qatar
Mohamed Hassany, MD, Prof.
Minister’s Assistant for Projects and Public Health Initiatives
Ministry of Health and Population, The Arab Republic of Egypt
Panel 2: From Silos to Systems -Tackling Interconnected Health Crises Together
Speakers from left to right:
Grace L. Su, MD, FAASLD, Moderator
President, American Association for the Study of Liver Disease
Volkan Demirhan Yumuk, MD, Prof
President, European Association for the Study of Obesity
Elisabeth Dupont, MSc
Regional Manager, International Diabetes Federation Europe
Debbie Shawcross, MD, PhD, FRCP
Secretary General, European Association for the Study of the Liver
Milan Mishkovikj, LLM
Director, European Liver Patients Association
Onno Hollebloom, MD, Assoc Prof.
European Association for the Study of Diabetes
Andrea Vassalotti
Senior Director, Partnerships & Programs, World Heart Federation
Thank you to our sponsors:
Boehringer Ingelheim, Echosens, Novo Nordisk, Opella
PAST EVENTS
Together for Better Liver Health: Amplifying Best Practices Globally
On May 27, 2024, Global Liver Institute (GLI), in partnership with the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL), convened numerous esteemed key opinion leaders for a policy event on the sidelines of the 77th World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland.
During the event, GLI unveiled their report, “Best Practices in Liver Health Policy: A Liver Health is Public Health Report,” which evaluates successful liver health policies from different countries as well as offer valuable insights to promote global strategies, addresses ongoing challenges faced by patients worldwide, and presents comprehensive policies to tackle these issues.
After the presentation of the report, the event continued with two high-level panels, moderated by Jeff McIntyre, MA, Vice President, Liver Health Programs at Global Liver Institute, in which a state representative (Egypt) and specialists from different areas of expertise converged on underlining the importance of having a holistic approach towards liver disease.
Comorbidities such as type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), hypertension, dyslipidemia, or cardiometabolic risk factors frequently coexist with steatotic liver disease, commonly known as fatty liver disease. Shared risk factors contribute to the simultaneous occurrence of these conditions, amplifying their individual risks and compromising treatment outcomes.
Patients who live with these conditions should be checked, as early as possible using non-invasive methods (e.g., liver ultrasound, fibroscan, or serum biomarkers). Early detection allows for targeted interventions. Regular screening, lifestyle modifications (weight management, dietary changes, and exercise), and judicious use of medications are essential.
Watch the recap video below:
Panel 1: Key Policy Achievements from Different Actors in Public Health
Panel 2: Centering Liver Health Perspectives from Different Key Stakeholders
Speakers from left to right:
Volkan Yumuk, MD, PhD
President, European Association for the Study of Obesity
Devi Mey, MPH
CEO, European Society for Organ Transplantation
Manuela Meireles, PhD
Scientific Officer, European Association for the Study of Diabetes
Johanna Ralston, MA
CEO, World Obesity Federation
Khaled Abdel-Gaffar, DDS, PhD
Minister of Health and Population, The Arab Republic of Egypt
Speakers from left to right:
Kremlin Wickramasinghe, PhD
Regional Adviser for Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity,
World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe
Sven Francque, MD, PhD
Hepatologist and Educational Councillor,
European Association for the Study of the Liver
Milan Mishkovikj, LLM
Director, European Liver Patients Association
Catherine Duggan, PhD
CEO, International Pharmaceutical Federation
Learn more about the program by checking our agenda here.
Thank you to our sponsors Boehringer Ingelheim, Echosens, Novo Nordisk and Sanofi.
