The World Health Assembly has approved a groundbreaking resolution on steatotic liver disease, marking the first time liver health has been included in the global noncommunicable disease agenda. Adopted on May 21, 2026, the resolution recognizes steatotic liver disease as a key component of the NCD response, encompassing metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, alcohol-related liver disease, and mixed etiology cases.
Affecting an estimated 1.5 billion adults globally, the condition has historically been overlooked in national health plans and global financing frameworks, according to the European Association for the Study of the Liver.
The EASL-Lancet Commission 2.0 reports that liver disease contributes to 780 preventable deaths daily across Europe, with annual economic costs reaching €55 billion. The resolution emphasizes integrated approaches to address shared risk factors among obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and liver disease.
EASL is urging WHO member states to adopt national plans, update monitoring frameworks to include liver health indicators, and integrate liver health into NCD strategies by the end of 2026.