WHO, Imperial College London and EASL Launch First WHO Collaborating Centre Dedicated to Liver Disease

London, 24 June 2026 — The WHO Regional Office for Europe, Imperial College London and EASL inaugurate the first WHO Collaborating Centre dedicated to liver disease, at a ceremony at Imperial’s White City Campus attended by WHO Regional Director for Europe Dr Hans Kluge and Egypt’s Minister of Health and Population, H.E. Prof. Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar.

Liver disease is the only major non-communicable disease still rising in Europe, causing an estimated 780 deaths a day across the WHO European Region and costing regional economies €55 billion a year. An estimated 1.5 billion people worldwide are living with steatotic liver disease, making it the fastest-growing cause of chronic liver disease globally.

The new Collaborating Centre is the first international body mandated to translate the World Health Assembly’s landmark resolution on liver disease — adopted in May 2026 — into national health plans across 53 Member States. EASL, as clinical and scientific partner, leads the European evidence base.

EASL Secretary General Prof. Debbie Shawcross:

“Liver disease is no longer a silent condition — it is a growing public health failure that we have the tools to prevent. What is missing is not evidence, but action.”

WHO, Imperial College London and EASL Launch First WHO Collaborating Centre Dedicated to Liver Disease

New WHO Collaborating Centre on Steatotic Liver Disease will translate May’s landmark World Health Assembly resolution into national health plans, as liver disease remains the only major non-communicable disease still rising in Europe

LONDON, 24 June 2026 — The World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Europe, Imperial College London and the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) today inaugurate the first WHO Collaborating Centre dedicated to liver disease, at a ceremony at Imperial’s White City Campus attended by WHO Regional Director for Europe Dr Hans Kluge and Egypt’s Minister of Health and Population, H.E. Prof. Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar.

The Collaborating Centre on Steatotic Liver Disease (SLD) – commonly referred to as fatty liver – is the first international body explicitly mandated to turn the World Health Assembly’s resolution on liver disease — adopted in May 2026 — into national health action across the WHO European Region’s 53 Member States. It is hosted by Imperial College London and co-directed by Professor Mark Thursz and Professor Pinelopi Manousou, with EASL as its clinical and scientific partner.

Liver disease is now the only major non-communicable disease still increasing in Europe, even as mortality from heart disease and several cancers has declined. Cirrhosis and liver cancer together cause an estimated 780 deaths a day across the WHO European Region — roughly one every two minutes — and cost regional economies an estimated 47.5 billion GBP (€55 billion) a year, according to the second EASL–Lancet Commission report, published in April 2026. An estimated 1.5 billion people worldwide are living with steatotic liver disease, making it the fastest-growing cause of chronic liver disease globally.

“Every other major killer in Europe – heart disease, most cancers – is moving in the right direction. Liver disease is moving in the wrong one. That should alarm us more than it does. Cirrhosis and liver cancer take a life in this Region roughly every two minutes – around 3% of all deaths. The drivers – alcohol, poor diet, viral hepatitis – are some of the most preventable risk factors. We know what to do. What has been missing is the infrastructure to turn knowledge into national action. Today, that changes. I want to thank Imperial College London for hosting this new Collaborating Centre. This is how we finally act on what we have known for years.” — Dr Hans Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe

Over its initial four-year workplan, the Centre will lead a Pan-European baseline assessment of SLD, produce WHO-endorsed policy reports on the three forms of the disease — metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), the combined MetALD form, and alcohol-related liver disease (ALD) — and develop the prevention briefs and training tools that Member States will draw on to build national plans.

“Hosting this Centre means Imperial is no longer only contributing evidence on liver disease — we are now part of the mechanism that turns that evidence into national policy across an entire WHO region. Liver disease kills someone in Europe roughly every two minutes; a four-year workplan sounds modest against that scale, but it is the first time the infrastructure has existed to make sustained progress against it.” — Professor Mark Thursz, Co-Director, SLD Collaborating Centre, Imperial College London

“Liver disease puts an alarmingly heavy burden on European health Systems. In the UK, for example, SLD accounts for about one in 20 hospital admissions.” — Professor Pinelopi Manousou, Co-Director of the SLD Collaborating Centre, Imperial College London.

Egypt was a founding co-sponsor of the World Health Assembly resolution, playing a decisive diplomatic role in building the cross-regional support needed to bring liver disease onto the global noncommunicable disease agenda for the first time.

“Egypt put its name behind this resolution because the evidence left us no real alternative: liver disease is rising even as other noncommunicable diseases come under control, and no country can address it alone. Sponsoring the resolution was the first step. Standing here today, as the Collaborating Centre begins its work, is how we intend to keep it.” — H.E. Professor Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar, Minister of Health and Population, Egypt

EASL’s network of more than 7,000 hepatologists and researchers across over 120 countries will lead delivery of the Centre’s European evidence base, building on the clinical evidence and sustained advocacy — including through the EASL–Lancet Commission — that underpinned the WHA79 resolution. EASL Secretary General Prof. Debbie Shawcross chaired the inauguration’s panel discussion.

“Liver disease is no longer a silent condition — it is a growing public health failure that we have the tools to prevent. What is missing is not evidence, but action.” — Professor Debbie Shawcross, EASL Secretary General, King’s College London

The inauguration also gave voice to patients, represented by Pamela Healy OBE, Chief Executive of the British Liver Trust, the UK’s leading liver health charity.

“What doesn’t show up in the mortality figures is the day‑to‑day impact liver disease has on people long before that — the exhaustion, the uncertainty, the devastating impact on families, and the way it steadily chips away at quality of life. Too many patients are also left feeling isolated, living with a condition that still isn’t widely understood or talked about. This new Centre is a critical opportunity to change that. The British Liver Trust is committed to working alongside it to ensure patient voices shape the response, and to drive the policy changes needed across the UK so liver disease is recognised earlier, prevented wherever possible, and no longer costing lives too soon.”

— Pamela Healy OBE, Chief Executive, British Liver Trust

— ENDS —

Notes to Editors

About EASL: The European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) is the leading European scientific society dedicated to liver disease, bringing together more than 7,000 hepatologists and researchers across over 120 countries. EASL provides the clinical and policy expertise underpinning the Collaborating Centre’s European evidence base, including the EASL–Lancet Commission 2.0.

About Imperial College London: Imperial College London is a world-leading university for science, technology, engineering, medicine and business (STEMB). The WHO Collaborating Centre on Steatotic Liver Disease is hosted at Imperial and is co-Directed by Professor Mark Thursz and Professor Pinelopi Manousou. The inauguration takes place at Imperial’s White City Campus, where science, technology and business come together to tackle some of our greatest global challenges.

About the WHO Regional Office for Europe: The WHO Regional Office for Europe supports 53 Member States across the WHO European Region. The Collaborating Centre is designated under WHO’s standard Collaborating Centre mechanism, extending WHO’s technical and scientific work on noncommunicable disease prevention and control.

About the British Liver Trust: The British Liver Trust is the UK’s leading liver health charity, reaching over a million people each year with information, support and advocacy on liver disease.

Media contacts

Stephen Johns, International Communications Manager, Imperial College London — +44 (0)20 7594 9531 / s.johns@imperial.ac.uk

Bhanu Bhatnagar, WHO/Europe Press & Media Relations Officer — bbhatnagar@who.int

Irene Mosqueira, EASL Head of Advocacy, Public Health & Advocacy — irene.mosqueira@easloffice.eu