Our annual International Health Lecture is a platform for leaders in global health to discuss topics of international significance, promoting debate, discussion and the exchange of ideas on current research.
These high-profile lectures attract a diverse audience, including the Academy's Fellows, academics, policymakers, the media, stakeholder groups and members of the public. We are delighted to have been hosting this lecture in partnership with The Lancet since 2016.
Our most recent International Health Lecture 'Lessons from Africa: health diplomacy in HIV prevention', was delivered by Professor Quarraisha Abdool Karim FRS, Associate Scientific Director at the Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA) on Tuesday 4 November 2025.
Professor Karim was joined by a global expert panel:
- Dr Anders Nordström, Advisor, Stockholm School of Economics
- Dr Mohammad Hosseini, Assistant Professor, Northwestern University
- Dr Peggy Oti-Boateng, Executive Director, The African Academy of Sciences
The event was chaired by Professor Tom Solomon CBE FMedSci, Vice President (International) of the Academy of Medical Sciences, and Professor Richard Horton OBE FMedSci, Editor-in-Chief of The Lancet.
Read Professor Abdool Karim's paper published in The Lancet following the lecture and Professor Solomon's blog reflecting on the powerful insights shared.
Recent lectures are available to watch and listen again on the Academy's YouTube channel.
Find out more about past lectures:
- 2024 Prof Mark J Nieuwenhuijsen
- 2023 Prof Gagandeep (Cherry) Kang
- 2022 Dr Victor J. Dzau
- 2021 Dr Matshidiso Moeti, Prof George Gao and Prof Helen Herrman
- 2020 Prof Gabriel Leung, Prof Robin Shattock FMedSci and Prof Ilona Kickbusch
- 2019 Professor Patricia J. García
- 2018 Dr Irene Akua Agyepong
- 2017 Dr Samuel Myers
- 2016 Professor Karen Sliwa
- 2015 Professor Vikram Patel FMedSci
- 2014 Dr Trevor Mundel
- 2012 Professor Janet Hemingway FRS FMedSci
- 2010 Dr Kevin De Cock
- 2009 Professor Nicholas White OBE FRS FMedSci
- 2008 Professor Hans Rosling
- 2007 Sir Richard Peto FRS FMedSci
- 2006 Dr Tadataka Yamada FMedSci (combined with Jean Shanks Lecture)
- 2005 Sir Gustav Nossal CBE FRS
- 2004 Dr Bernard Moss