The Lancet

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Welcome to The Lancet, one of the world’s leading medical journals, published weekly since 1823. 🌐 thelancet.com

Illustration of a female in green scrubs, cap, and blue surgical mask, surrounded by four smaller illustrations showing surgical instruments and operating room scenes. Copyright: Grace Russell.
Figure showing peripheral mechanisms contributing to IBS. This figure was created using BioRender.com. IBS=irritable bowel syndrome. Copyright: 2026 Elsevier Ltd. All rights are reserved.
Register to attend the Gustave Roussy-Lancet Lecture Series on Sept 18. Copyright: Gustave Roussy.
Research in context panel for a paper published in The Lancet Obstetrics, Gynaecology, & Women’s Health entitled "Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk in polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome: a nationwide, US, claimsbased, retrospective, longitudinal, cohort study". Copyright: 2026 Elsevier Ltd. All rights are reserved.
Kaplan–Meier analysis of the primary efficacy and safety endpoints. (A) The incidence of the primary efficacy endpoint, defined as a composite of all-cause death or thromboembolic events (myocardial infarction, definite stent thrombosis, stroke, or systemic embolism). (B) The primary safety endpoint, defined as bleeding (International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis major or clinically relevant non-major bleeding). Percentages are Kaplan–Meier estimates at 12 months (day 360). Hazard ratios compare the 1-month dual therapy group with the 12-month dual therapy group and were estimated using Cox proportional-hazards models with follow-up censored at day 360. PCI=percutaneous coronary intervention. Copyright: 2026 Elsevier Ltd. All rights are reserved.
Figure 1: Schematic of mRNA lipid nanoparticle components, mechanism of action, biodistribution, and expression and clearance timeline for mRNA vaccines. LNP=lipid nanoparticle. PEG=polyethylene glycol. Copyright: 2026 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Quote from The Lancet's July 18, 2026 Editorial. Quote reads: "The solution to overprescribing is not underprescribing or abruptly stopping treatment...Better care—not simply less or more—is the measure of success in medicine."
Cover of The Lancet's July 18, 2026 issue. Quote on cover reads: "Every four-year-old in Ukraine has experienced nothing but war all their lives."
Promotional card for the 2025 small island developing states report of the Lancet Countdown on health and climate change. Writing on card reads: 3 key insights from the 2025 small island developing states report of the Lancet Countdown.
Dr Chloe Wilson, Senior Editor at The Lancet, presents the case of a 63-yo man presenting with fever of unknown origin & masses surrounding both kidneys.
A group of clinical doctors discussing research data together in the hospital. Credit: Tom Werner via Getty Images.
Validity framework for research in older adults. Green represents a low risk of bias (internal validity) or high generalisability. Yellow represents some concerns with internal validity (mainly confounding bias) or generalisability. Red represents a high risk of bias (mainly confounding bias) or low generalisability. RCT=randomised controlled trial. CDR=clinical data repository. Copyright: 2026 Elsevier Ltd. All rights are reserved
Cover of The Lancet, July 9, 2026. The cover quote reads, “Systemic and institutional prejudice against children is prevalent and rarely questioned.”
Dictionary entry for the word, integrity. Beneath, text on a blue background: Protecting and promoting research integrity at The Lancet Group.
Figure showing complex and inter-related social determinants contribute to the rising burden of kidney disease. CKD=chronic kidney disease AKI=acute kidney injury. AKD=acute kidney disease. WASH=water, sanitation, and hygiene. Copyright: 2026 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Meet the editor card
Promotional card for The Lancet's Wakley Prize Essay Competition. Text on card reads: The Wakley Prize Essay Competition: A call for submissions. Background image is of Thomas Wakley, who founded The Lancet in 1823.
Research in context panel for a paper published in The Lancet entitled "Cervical cancer mortality trends following HPV vaccination in England, 2001–24: an analysis of population-based mortality data" Copyright: 2026 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Promotional card for The Lancet Pulse podcast.
The sun rises behind the Statue of Liberty in New York City on October 12, 2024, as seen from Jersey City, New Jersey. Copyright: Gary Hershorn/Getty Images
Cover of The Lancet's July 4, 2026 issue. Quote on cover reads: "Each year, postpartum haemorrhage occurs in an estimated 27 million women worldwide—17 million after vaginal birth and 10 million during or after caesarean birth."
Research in context panel for a paper published in The Lancet, entitled "Metabolic traits in obesity and normal BMI in industrialised countries: a multi-country analysis of national populationbased studies". Copyright: 2026 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. CC BY 4.0.
The Lancet Group promotional graphic thanking authors and reviewers: ‘Our success is a reflection of the quality of the papers we publish. Thank you to our authors and reviewers for your contributions.' Copyright: Elsevier Ltd.
The Lancet graphic inviting researchers to submit their work: ‘Submit your next clinical breakthrough.' Copyright: Elsevier Ltd.
The Lancet graphic promoting global publishing reach: ‘Reach millions globally.' Copyright: Elsevier Ltd.
The Lancet Group graphic promoting simultaneous publication for papers being presented at conferences: ‘Conference impact, amplified.' Copyright: Elsevier Ltd.
The Lancet graphic promoting fast track publishing for eligible RCTs: ‘Speed without compromise.' Copyright: Elsevier Ltd.
The Lancet promotional graphic thanking authors and reviewers: ‘The journal’s success is a reflection of the quality of the papers we publish. Thank you to our authors and reviewers for your contributions.' Copyright: Elsevier Ltd.
The Lancet promotional graphic: 'No other general medical journal comes close.' Highlighting a Journal Impact Factor of 109·0 (Clarivate 2026) and Scopus CiteScore of 92·4. Copyright: Elsevier Ltd.
Figure 1: Schematic of mRNA lipid nanoparticle components, mechanism of action, biodistribution, and expression and clearance timeline for mRNA vaccines. LNP=lipid nanoparticle. PEG=polyethylene glycol. Copyright: 2026 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Promotional card for The Lancet Series on cardiometabolic multiple long-term conditions. Image: Close-up view of multiple prescription pills and capsules in blister packaging. Copyright: Olena Malik/Getty Images.
Map of England showing the prevalence of obesity in April, 2025, by geographical region. Prevalence estimates are standardised by age and sex. Copyright: 2026 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. CC BY 4.0.
Cytoscopic and histopathological examination of a transplanted bladder. (A) 1 month after bladder transplantation, cystoscopic evaluation showed viable, healthy appearing bladder mucosa without any concerning findings, lesions, or areas of necrosis. (B) 1 month after bladder transplantation, bladder biopsy specimens showed viable mucosa with mixed inflammation, without evidence of perivascular lymphocytic inflammation or necrosis (100 ×; haematoxylin and eosin stain). (C) 3 months after transplantation, cystoscopy showed viable bladder mucosa. (D) 3 months after transplantation, biopsy showed resolution of the inflammation identified in the first biopsy (100 ×; haematoxylin and eosin stain). (E) 6 months after transplantation, bladder mucosa remained healthy on cystoscopic evaluation. (F) 6 months after transplantation, on biopsy there are no substantial interstitial, perivascular, or intraepithelial inflammatory infiltrates to suggest allograft rejection.
Cover of The Lancet's June 27, 2026 issue. Quote on cover reads: "...health-care systems remain unprepared to address cancer in young adults."
Research in context panel for a paper published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases, entitled "Size of the 2026 Ebola outbreak and risk of cross-border spillover from Bundibugyo virus in Ituri Province, DR Congo, and its implications for preparedness: a recalibrated stochastic modelling study." Copyright: 2026 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Quote from a Correspondence published in The Lancet. Quote reads: "This new rule seeks to establish, as regulations, practices involving political censorship of research and political micromanagement of federal funding that the administration has already tried to impose..."
Dictionary entry for the word, integrity. Beneath, text on a blue background: Protecting and promoting research integrity at The Lancet Group.
Promotional card for the RELX SDG Inspiration Day 2026: Countdown for the Environment – Climate Action to Advance the SDGs.
Figure showing the percentage change (A) and the absolute change (B) from baseline in bodyweight by week in the efficacy estimand are shown. Least-square means are presented, and bars indicate 95% CI. The results were calculated according to Rubin's rule. Copyright: 2026 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. CC BY 4.0.
Figure showing international cannabis policies in 2025. (A) Non-medical cannabis policies. (B) Medical cannabis policies. Policies shown are de jure (ie, what is legally mandated) rather than de facto (ie, what happens in practice). The list of policies by international jurisdiction is shown in the appendix (pp 2–8). US states and Australian territories are coded individually; however, both countries prohibit non-medical cannabis at the national level, and the USA prohibits medical cannabis at the national level. Copyright: 2026 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved,
Cover of The Lancet's June 20, 2026 issue. Quote on cover reads: "The question is not whether migrant-inclusive policies can work, but whether governments have the will to pursue them."
Research in context panel for a paper published in The Lancet entitled "Cervical cancer mortality trends following HPV vaccination in England, 2001–24: an analysis of population-based mortality data" Copyright: 2026 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Figure: Islet autoantibody assessment. Copyright: Elsevier Ltd. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies.
Figure summarising lifestyle modifications used in the treatment of depression. (A) Exercise (B) Diet (C) Sleep. Copyright: 2026 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. CC BY 4.0.
Promotional card for The Lancet's Highlights photography competition. Text on card reads: Highlights photography competition. A call for submissions. Image on card depicts a camera inside a hexagon outline.
Promotional card for The Lancet's Wakley Prize Essay Competition. Text on card reads: The Wakley Prize Essay Competition: A call for submissions. Background image is of Thomas Wakley, who founded The Lancet in 1823.
Promotional card for The Lancet's June 13, 2026 issue. Text reads Editorial: The next steps for chronic kidney disease. Image is a human kidney made of felt on blue background. Copyright: Carol Yepes via Getty Images.
Cover of The Lancet, June 13, 2026 issue. The quote: “Implementing the commitments of the World Health Assembly kidney health resolution: a key opportunity to improve health for millions.”
Figure outlining what each Review paper in the 2026 Lancet Series on postpartum haemorrhage covers. Copyright: 2026 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Figure summarising lifestyle modifications used in the treatment of depression. (A) Exercise (B) Diet (C) Sleep. Copyright: 2026 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. CC BY 4.0.
Figure showing cumulative incidence curves of efficacy outcomes estimated using Aalen–Johansen methods accounting for mortality as a competing risk. Outcomes were assessed in time-to-event analyses. eGFR=estimated glomerular filtration rate. HR=hazard ratio. *The composite kidney outcome was a 57% or more decline in eGFR or kidney failure. †Kidney failure was defined as sustained eGFR less than 15 mL/min per 1·73 m² or initiation of chronic dialysis or kidney transplantation. ‡Comprises the composite kidney outcome, or heart failure hospitalisation or cardiovascular death. §Heart failure hospitalisation or cardiovascular death. Copyright:
Figure Oversight in AI used in health care: from symbolic reassurance to substantive accountability
Figure showing foodborne DALYs per 100 000 population by country, 2021. DALYs=disability-adjusted life-years. Copyright: 2026 World Health Organization. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article published under the CC BY 3.0 IGO license.
Cover of The Lancet's June 6, 2026 issue. Quote on cover reads: "Ebola has once again exposed the systematic failures and human-made vulnerabilities that allow a biological threat to escalate into a wider crisis."
Figure showing cumulative incidence curves of efficacy outcomes estimated using Aalen–Johansen methods accounting for mortality as a competing risk. Outcomes were assessed in time-to-event analyses. eGFR=estimated glomerular filtration rate. HR=hazard ratio. *The composite kidney outcome was a 57% or more decline in eGFR or kidney failure. †Kidney failure was defined as sustained eGFR less than 15 mL/min per 1·73 m² or initiation of chronic dialysis or kidney transplantation. ‡Comprises the composite kidney outcome, or heart failure hospitalisation or cardiovascular death. §Heart failure hospitalisation or cardiovascular death. Copyright: