2025: A Year in Emotions

Emotions shape our values, decisions and interactions. Global health is no exception: its story is written not only in data and policies, but also in emotions.

Emotions have played a crucial evolutionary role in the survival of our species (and many others), allowing us to respond quickly and efficiently to external threats and opportunities. Even today, in “modern” society, it is often emotion- more than reason- that shapes our values and guides our behaviour, decisions and social interactions.

Global health is no exception. Its story is not only written in data, policies, guidelines; it’s also written in emotions. And 2025 has been an emotional whirlwind. Here are some of the year’s key events, felt through the lens of six basic emotions:

Fear – Disinformation in the age of AI

2025 has been frequently referred to as “the year of AI”. Exciting as it may be, the rapid progress in Artificial Intelligence also arouses fear for its potential to fuel disinformation.

Disinformation, which is the deliberate spreading of false information with the intent to deceive or manipulate, poses a major threat to society. It erodes trust, undermines democracy, and encourages polarisation and instability. It also is one of the most quietly dangerous public health threats today. AI-generated conspiracy content and deepfakes on social media are making vaccine hesitancy more widespread, eroding trust in science and health authorities, and hampering outbreak responses.

Fear is a survival mechanism, preparing the body to “fight or flee”. It also promotes social learning and caution. As society, this should guide us toward vigilance and discernment. As scientists, we have a responsibility to fight mis- and disinformation. And few topics have been hit so hard by falsehoods than climate change. Here, fear gives way to anger. 

Anger – Governments’ inaction on climate change

Despite some hopeful signals at the recent COP30, including agreements on financial aid mechanisms, the summit ended once again without a clear roadmap to phase out fossil fuels and halt deforestation, blocked by powerful lobby interests.

Meanwhile, emissions continue to rise and are expected to peak too late to keep warming to 1.5 C above pre-industrial levels - current estimates put us on track for 2.6C warming by 2100. The cost of inaction is already huge: 250 million people were forced to flee their homes by weather-related disasters. Vector-borne diseases are spreading faster than predicted, heat-related deaths continue rising, and air pollution remains catastrophic in many cities. It’s infuriating that, with so much at stake, decisive action is not taken.

Anger helps us mobilise energy to confront threats or defend against harm. So why aren’t we holding governments accountable? Why aren’t we mobilising the energy needed to confront the greatest threat to life as we know it?

Disgust – The cruelty of aid cuts

Disgust serves as a protective mechanism against toxic elements by eliciting feelings of revulsion. And it is hard not to feel disgust when one of the richest men in the world (and who was recently awarded a $1 trillion compensation plan by his company) single-handedly decides to cut lifesaving programmes like USAID in the name of “government efficiency”. These decisions are already costing thousands of lives and could lead to more than 14 million preventable deaths by 2030. Sadly, the US is not alone. Across Europe, right-wing policies are also slashing foreign aid, reversing decades of progress in diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis and AIDS, and putting more than 22 million lives at risk, including 5.4 million children under-five. This takes us to the next emotion.

Sadness – Childhoods stolen by conflict

Sadness helps us cope with loss and prompts more vigilant and thoughtful behaviour. What is sadder than the terrible toll that children are bearing in the ongoing conflicts across the world?

In Sudan, millions of people have been displaced, leaving 7.4 million children with no access to safe drinking water, 4 million suffering from acute malnutrition, and 2 million missing critical vaccinations. In Gaza, 64,000 children have reportedly been killed or maimed, and those who survive are in desperate need of food and healthcare. In Ukraine, around 3.000 children (the equivalent of about 150 classrooms) have been killed or injured and countless more have been robbed of their schools, their homes, and even their families.

Sadness should not be passive; it should be a call to stop these atrocities and protect the most vulnerable.

Joy – Changing the game for malaria

For the first time in more than 20 years, a next-generation anti-malarial drug is on the horizon. GanLum, which combines a new drug (ganaplacide) and an existing one (lumefrantine), represents a critical development as resistance to current artemisinin-based treatments continues to rise. Developed by Novartis and Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV), GanLum gave highly promising results in a phase III clinical trial across 12 African countries. 

Malaria vaccine programs are also finally scaling up: in 2024, over 12 million doses of malaria vaccine reached 17 African countries and by April of this year, 25 countries had been approved for Gavi funding to introduce malaria vaccines into routine immunisation programs. Furthermore, a deal to cut the price of the R21/Matrix-M vaccine to under $3 per dose could protect an additional 7 million children by 2030, and 21 countries have already rolled out the vaccine since its introduction in 2024.

Joy motivates behaviours that increase our chances of survival, such as social bonds and collective wellbeing. After years of stalled progress in the fight against malaria, the lives that can be saved by these advances certainly give us a reason for joy.

Surprise – Faster than expected

Surprise forces us to pay attention to unexpected events. In last years’ post, I wrote about lenacapavir as a gamechanger for HIV prevention, if it could reach the countries that need it most. The good news is that this has started to occur faster than anticipated. The drug arrived to South Africa, Eswatini and Zambia just months after U.S. approval. Lenacapavir, given as a twice-yearly subcutaneous injection, is the closest thing we have to a vaccine: it was shown to reduce HIV transmission by more than 99.9%. Gilead Sciences has agreed to provide the drug at no profit to two million people in countries with a high HIV burden over three years, and generic versions are expected to be available from 2027 at around $40 per year per person, in more than 100 countries.

Surprise offers an opportunity to drive learning, adaptation and find new solutions. Here’s to hoping 2026 brings a few inspiring surprises.

P.S. A heartfelt thanks to my comms colleagues for their valuable ideas that inspired this post!