Most modern healthcare is based on population estimates — taking an approach that assumes what works on average will also work for each individual. This “one-size-fits-all” model made sense when we lacked the tools to accurately predict disease risk or treatment response. But today, we know that people differ greatly in how diseases develop and how treatments work, depending on their genes, environment, behaviour, and access to care.

These differences are especially clear in non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer, which are now the main causes of death worldwide. Yet healthcare systems still struggle to adapt to this diversity, meaning many people — especially in low-resource settings — do not receive the quality of care they deserve and need.

Precision health offers a path forward. It uses detailed data, from biology to social context, to better predict risk, tailor treatments, and improve outcomes. While genomic medicine has shown remarkable results for some rare and cancer-related conditions, precision health for many common diseases extends beyond genetics, drawing on all forms of relevant data to deliver care that is better matched to local populations and available resources.

However, precision health will only succeed globally if it is developed and implemented with equity in mind. Methods and algorithms built for high-income populations often fail when applied elsewhere, where populations, health systems, and resources differ. To truly achieve equitable precision health, research and data must reflect the full diversity of the world’s populations.

The Lancet Commission on Precision Health was established in 2025 to turn this vision into action. The Commission brings together global experts in science, medicine, data, economics, and policy to:

• Map where and how precision health is being applied today, and where gaps remain.
• Develop adaptable frameworks and toolkits for research and implementation across settings and disease areas.
• Analyse the economic, social, and policy dimensions of scaling precision health globally.
• Recommend strategies to strengthen capacity, ensure cost-effectiveness, and promote equitable access, especially in low- and middle-income countries.

The Commission will run for about three years, formally starting in Kuala Lumpur 20–21st January 2026, with findings and recommendations to be published in The Lancet.

Its goal: to ensure that the benefits of precision health reach all populations, not just a privileged few.