The Lancet Regional Health Europe in conversation with

In this episode, Senior Editor Anna Johnson is joined by Giulio Stefanini and Hannah van Kolfschooten to discuss the prominence of AI in the European Commission’s Safe Hearts Plan. They discuss the significant opportunities AI is likely to bring, while highlighting the need for robust legal, institutional, and operational frameworks to improve cardiovascular outcomes rather than simply generating more accurate predictions.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lanepe.2026.101784

In this episode of In Conversation With, Larissa Otero, Senior Editor of The Lancet Regional Health – Europe, speaks with Dr Judith Bonnes and Dr Roos Edgar about their study on automated cardiac arrest detection using wrist-worn photoplethysmography devices. The discussion traces the journey from the DETECT-1A and DETECT-1B studies to the latest DETECT-1C validation, describing how a light-based sensor or photoplethysmography on the wrist can reliably detect the loss of pulse and trigger an automated alert — with potential implications for prompt detection of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. The conversation also addresses the practical and logistical questions around real-world deployment, the limitations of the technology across diverse populations, and the unique ethical challenges of conducting research in end-of-life settings. The episode closes with what remains unanswered in the DETECT programme and the team's next steps
Click here to read the full article:
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanepe/article/PIIS2666-7762(26)00203-6/fulltext

In this episode, Senior Editor Stephanie Becker speaks with Professor Nicolas Rüsch about mental illness stigma and why self-stigma can have a profound effect on people’s lives. Professor Rüsch explains why deciding whether to disclose a mental illness is often complex, and why the Honest, Open, Proud programme supports people to make informed, individual decisions rather than simply encouraging openness. The conversation also explores how the peer-led programme works, what distinguishes it from other approaches to reducing self-stigma, and the importance of testing interventions under real-world conditions. Professor Rüsch outlines the main findings of their recently published trial and considers the next steps for research and implementation in this field.
Click here to read the full article: 
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanepe/article/PIIS2666-7762(26)00163-8/fulltext

In this July episode, Editor-in-Chief Pooja Jha is joined by Deputy Editor Ivana Nedic and Senior Editor Stephanie Becker to reflect on the first half of 2026 for The Lancet Regional Health – Europe. Together, they discuss key themes from recent conferences across Europe, including personalised endocrinology, liver disease, antimicrobial resistance, stroke care, cardiovascular inequalities, and long-term population health research.
They also highlight major journal initiatives from the first half of the year, including newly launched Series, and look ahead to upcoming projects. Tune in for a wide-ranging conversation on the research, policy, and editorial priorities shaping regional health in Europe in 2026.
Check the latest issue at thelancet.com–Regional Health Europe

In this episode of In Conversation With, Larissa Otero, senior editor of The Lancet Regional Health Europe, speaks with Professor Christoph Lange (Research Center Borstel, Germany; TB Net) and Professor Liga Kuksa (Latvia's national centre for tuberculosis and lung diseases) about their June 2026 study on long-term outcomes after multidrug-resistant tuberculosis treatment in Latvia. They trace Latvia's path from European MDR TB hotspot, with more than 300 cases a year in the late 1990s, to just 22 cases last year, achieved through centralised expertise, sustained political commitment, and strong surveillance.
Their retrospective national cohort also reveals a striking gap: under WHO definitions, fewer than 5% of patients were classified as cured, yet 77% achieved relapse-free survival on long-term follow-up, raising urgent questions about how treatment success should be defined. The conversation closes with new antimicrobial stewardship standards for TB and why political instability, including the war in Ukraine, still shapes Europe's epidemic.
Click here to read the full article at thelancet.com:
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanepe/article/PIIS2666-7762(26)00088-8/fulltext

In this episode, Deputy Editor Ivana Nedic speaks with Prof Jeffrey Lazarus, Chair of a new The Lancet Regional Health – Europe Series on chronic liver disease, and Dr Elisa Pose, one of the Series co-chairs, about why chronic liver disease must be treated as a major public health priority in Europe.
The discussion explores the burden of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, steatotic liver disease, alcohol-related liver disease, and viral hepatitis, and considers how earlier detection, integrated models of care, and stronger policy action could help reduce preventable liver disease across the region.
Click here to read the full series:
www.thelancet.com/series-do/chronic-liver-disease

In this episode, Senior Editor Anna Johnson is joined by Jacob Bodilsen to discuss different clinical phenotypes of community-acquired bacterial meningitis and the heterogeneity that exists. They also discuss the implications this has for clinical care.
Click here to read the full article: 
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanepe/article/PIIS2666-7762(26)00040-2/fulltext

Content warning: This conversation is about self-harm and suicide and may be distressing for some listeners. If you or someone you know is affected by these issues, please visit https://findahelpline.com/ a global database of support lines associated with the International Association for Suicide Prevention.
How effective are psychosocial interventions for self-harm and do they work differently for men and women? In this episode Evgenia Koutsouki, Senior Editor at The Lancet Group discusses with our guests new evidence on sex differences in outcomes and the  challenges of engaging men in mental health support. We also hear a lived experience perspective, offering insight into how support can be made more accessible and meaningful.
Click here to read the full article: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanepe/article/PIIS2666-7762(26)00018-9/fulltext

In this episode, Deputy Editor Ivana Nedic is joined by Dr Emiliano Calvo to discuss the rapidly evolving landscape of systemic cancer therapies.Ahead of the upcoming Series in The Lancet Regional Health – Europe, they explore its four key pillars: next-generation antibody-based therapies, antibody-drug conjugates, oncolytic viruses and cancer vaccines, and emerging cell therapies for solid tumours.The conversation examines the scientific advances driving these approaches, the challenges of toxicity management and equitable access across Europe, and how these innovative modalities may be sequenced and combined in the years ahead to reshape cancer care.

Join Senior Editor Stephanie Becker in an insightful conversation with Santiago Madero as they explore the evolving perspectives on psychedelic treatments, the latest developments in regulatory frameworks, and advances in psychedelic research. This episode delves into the complex debates surrounding the therapeutic potential and experiential aspects of psychedelic treatments, highlighting the challenges and opportunities for their safe and effective implementation and regulation.Click here to read the full article: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanepe/article/PIIS2666-7762(25)00329-1/fulltext