The Lancet Commission on lessons for the
future from the COVID-19 pandemic
Image created by Markel Olabarria for The Lancet COVID-19 Commission
The Lancet Commission on lessons for the future from the COVID-19 pandemic
Read our final report here: https://www.thelancet.com/commissions/covid19
The Lancet COVID-19 Commission was an interdisciplinary initiative encompassing the health sciences, business, finance, and public policy. The Lancet COVID-19 Commission’s final report was published on September 15, 2022. The final report included input from 11 Task Forces in areas ranging from vaccine development to humanitarian relief strategies, safe workplaces, and global economic recovery. The work of the Commission formally concluded on October 20, 2022.
The work of the Commission had four main themes:
Recommendations on how to best suppress the epidemic.
Addressing the humanitarian crises arising from the pandemic.
Addressing the financial and economic crises resulting from the pandemic.
Rebuilding an inclusive, fair, and sustainable world.
The work of the Commission was supported by twelve Task Forces, in areas ranging from vaccine development, to humanitarian relief strategies, to safe workplaces, to global economic recovery.
Statement by The Lancet COVID-19 Commission - June 22, 2021
The Lancet COVID-19 Commission will carefully scrutinize the origin of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in advance of its final report, with the overriding aim of recommending policies to prevent and contain future emerging infectious disease outbreaks. The Commission’s technical work will be conducted by independent experts who were not themselves directly involved in US-China research activities that are under scrutiny. Dr. Peter Daszak has recused himself from the Commission’s work on the origins of the virus.
The Commission urges all scientists who were involved in the US-China research to explain fully and transparently the nature of their work. In the meantime, the Commission will tap global experts in biosafety and other fields to help assess the relevant hypotheses on the origins of SARS-CoV-2, and to recommend ways to prevent and contain future outbreaks, whether from naturally occurring zoonotic events or research-related activities.
Contact: covid19commission@unsdsn.org
The Commission is publishing two kinds of reports:
Published in peer-reviewed journals:
The following reviews and commentaries have been published in peer-reviewed journals by the Commission or the Task Forces. These publications represent interim statements and findings designed to inform policy as the COVID-19 pandemic unfolds. The Commission will submit a final, peer-reviewed report for publication in The Lancet.
Self-published reports from the Commission and Task Forces:
The following reports have been posted online by the Commission secretariat, and have not been peer-reviewed or published in The Lancet, nor in any other journal. These reports intend to bring together expert views on key topics as the COVID-19 pandemic unfolds.