By Professor Tom Solomon CBE FMedSci
It was a privilege to co-chair the International Health Lecture 2025, co-hosted by the Academy and The Lancet and expertly delivered by Professor Quarraisha Abdool Karim FRS of the Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa.
Professor Karim’s lecture was a powerful reminder that the story of HIV is one not only of extraordinary scientific discovery but also of deep humanity, diplomacy, and perseverance. Her personal account, from the early days of apartheid South Africa to leading global responses to HIV, TB, and COVID-19, illustrated how scientific excellence, activism, and policy must intertwine if research is truly to serve people everywhere.
The ensuing panel discussion, including Dr Anders Nordström of the Stockholm School of Economics, Dr Mohammad Hosseini Assistant Professor, of Northwestern University, and Dr Peggy Oti-Boateng of The African Academy of Sciences, took us far beyond one disease. It raised wider questions about how science, diplomacy, and politics can work together to protect human health in an increasingly fractured world.
Health diplomacy as a bridge in divided times
Health diplomacy is, at its heart, an act of bridge-building, between scientists and policymakers, but also across nations and ideologies. As Dr Nordström reminded us, diplomacy is not the preserve of foreign ministries; it is the skill of navigating political processes to turn evidence into action. The origins of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, and the tobacco control treaty, show how science, activism, and political negotiation can converge to create durable global mechanisms for health.
Yet the world in 2025 feels different. The geopolitical climate is more volatile, public trust in institutions more fragile, and information more fragmented. As Professor Karim observed, freedom of speech, free media, and accountable governance – essential enablers of scientific progress – can no longer be taken for granted. Science diplomacy now requires not just engagement with governments, but with societies under strain.
Trust, truth, and the role of communities
Dr Hosseini argued persuasively that the path to renewed trust in science lies not in demanding blind belief, but in nurturing scientific literacy, critical thinking, and curiosity. Communities must be partners, not passive recipients. That message echoed throughout the discussion: from community advisory boards in HIV research, to citizen science projects that democratise knowledge, to the recognition of indigenous expertise as central to locally meaningful solutions.
The evolving role of national academies
National academies have a particular responsibility and opportunity in this landscape. As independent convenors, they can connect science, policy, and society in ways that build trust and foster shared purpose. They can champion integrity and openness, support equitable global research partnerships, and help the next generation of scientists develop the diplomatic skills needed to engage across cultures and political systems.
Beyond HIV: A broader agenda for science diplomacy
If the early years of the HIV response taught us about courage, activism, and the mobilisation of global solidarity, today’s challenges, including pandemics, climate change and misinformation, demand a renewal of that same spirit. We need a new form of science diplomacy: one that values listening as much as persuasion, that respects local leadership, and that recognises health as both a moral imperative and a foundation for peace.
As Professor Karim concluded, “Together, and using science, we really have an opportunity for the children of this planet to inherit a better future.” The task before us is to ensure that the structures of global health , research, policy, and diplomacy alike, are worthy of that responsibility.
Professor Tom Solomon CBE FRCP FMedSci is Vice-President (International) of the Academy of Medical Sciences and Director of The Pandemic Institute, Liverpool.