Where Evidence Meets Policy

That topic was the focus of the recent WHO Global Evidence-to-Policy Summit, which convened experts in health, policy and knowledge translation. Participants discussed lessons from the pandemic and strategized on ways to strengthen multisectoral collaboration, with the end goal of increasing patient access.

The summit culminated in the launch of the draft Evidence-Informed Policy Network Call for Action. The document envisions a way forward for systematic and improved evidence-informed health policymaking. It also highlights the need for more equitable and sustainable global health.

Further, the document asks governments, intergovernmental organizations and other key stakeholders to commit to 16 concrete steps toward better evidence-informed decision-making.  The steps fall into one of four categories:

1. Institutionalize structures and processes to support evidence-informed decision-making
2. Use high-quality norms, standards and tools to promote evidence-informed decision-making
3. Strive to ensure national and international capacity for translating and using evidence in decision-making
4. Strive to ensure that evidence is accessible, timely and relevant for policymaking, especially in emergency situations

Science has often been considered a key aspect for improving health care programs, but it is important that systems are in place to help translate reliable evidence into tangible health policies that can help increase access for patients. To help decision-makers mobilize evidence into informed policies, stakeholders from across sectors and disciplines need to work together.  Only then can they increase transparency and systematic communication, improve capacity building and education, and – most importantly – further the well-being of people across the globe.