Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41750135›Full record

ArticleBrain sciences2026

Global Recognition of Traumatic Brain Injury as a Chronic and Notifiable Condition: A Post-WHA78 Advocacy Commentary.

Almas F Khattak, Saniya Mediratta, Sara Venturini, Brandon George Smith, Paul T Dubetz, Ernest J Barthélemy, Alexis F Turgeon, David Krishna Menon, Bernice G Gulek, Mario Ganau and 11 more

Abstract readConference Proceedings
In one paragraph

Article in Brain sciences, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

21 authors.

Almas F KhattakGlobal Alliance for Surgical, Obstetric, Trauma and Aneshthesia Care (G4 Alliance) and Community Medicine, Northwest School of Medicine, Peshawar 25000, Pakistan.ORCID 0000-0002-8127-0664
Saniya MedirattaDepartment of Neurosurgery, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London WC1N3BG, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-5187-140X
Sara VenturiniNIHR Global Health Research Group on Acquired Brain and Spine Injury, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB20QQ, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-9541-0090
Brandon George SmithDepartment of Engineering, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1PZ, UK.ORCID 0000-0001-8471-1368
Paul T DubetzWilliam G. Lowrie Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
Ernest J BarthélemyOne Brooklyn Health, Brookdale University Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY 11212, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-4001-9342
Alexis F TurgeonPopulation Health and Optimal Health Practices Research Unit (Trauma-Emergency-Critical Care Medicine), CHU de Québec-Université Laval Research Center, 1401, 18e Rue, Québec City, QC G1J 1Z4, Canada.ORCID 0000-0001-5675-8791
David Krishna MenonDepartment of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0AW, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-3228-9692
Bernice G GulekHarborview Medical Center, Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98104, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-1676-2961
Mario GanauSchool of Medicine, BAU International University Batumi, 237 Fridon Khalvashi St., 6010 Batumi, Georgia.ORCID 0000-0002-8676-1147
Halinder S MangatDepartment of Neurology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10021, USA.
Kathryn HendrickCanadian Traumatic Brain Injury Research Consortium, CHU de Québec-Université Laval (Hôpital de l'Enfant-Jésus) 1401 18e Rue, Québec City, QC G1J 1Z4, Canada.
Taskeen Ullah BaberGlobal Surgery Regional Hub, Northwest School of Medicine, Peshawar 25000, Pakistan.ORCID 0009-0003-8557-706X
Yashma SherwanGlobal Surgery Regional Hub, Northwest School of Medicine, Peshawar 25000, Pakistan.
Eylem OcalDepartment of Neurosurgery, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-6762-0106
Kee B ParkProgram in Global Surgery and Social Change, Harvard Medical School, 641 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-9121-5319
Walt D JohnsonDepartment of Neurosurgery, Loma Linda University, 12354 Anderson Street, Loma Linda, CA 92354, USA.
Franco ServadeiGlobal Neurosurgery Programme Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Via Giovanni Celoria 11, 20133 Milan, Italy.
Gail RosseauDepartment of Neurosurgery, George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA.
Peter J A HutchinsonNIHR Global Health Research Group on Acquired Brain and Spine Injury, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB20QQ, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-2796-1835
Tariq KhanDepartment of Neurosurgery, Northwest General Hospital & Research Centre, Peshawar 25000, Pakistan.ORCID 0000-0003-3014-6310

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundTraumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of disability but one of the least recognized health problems in the world, affecting up to 69 million people annually. The associated lifelong disability in survivors, the loss of economic productivity, and being a risk factor for dementia consume 0.5% of global economic activity. Yet TBI is still largely invisible in national surveillance systems and not well represented in chronic disease frameworks. Consequently, governments are not equipped to provide proportional financing of acute care and long-term care of survivors, nor to build health care systems and resources for improving outcomes of TBI through policy frameworks targeting prevention, treatment, and equitable access.

objectiveThis commentary aims to provide a comprehensive picture of the global effort to formally recognize TBI as a notifiable and chronic condition, including the justifications for recognition, the formation of an international coalition of stakeholders, and the strategic plan for resolution at WHA79 of the World Health Assembly, one of the first concerted multinational efforts that occurred as a side event during the 78th World Health Assembly (WHA78) in May 2025.

methodsThis commentary integrates information from epidemiological studies, global registries, and testimonies from people with lived experience of TBI. We analyze these data to develop policy needs and corresponding initiatives to address key needs. These include coordinated efforts to advocate change, such as technical briefings, consultations with stakeholders, and storytelling led by survivors, all of which informed and formed a part of the WHA78 side event. Our efforts have garnered wide, multi-sector support.

resultsThe WHA78 side event showed that ministries of health, neurosurgical, neurological, and rehabilitation societies, academic researchers, WHO representatives, and survivors all unprecedentedly support the recognition of the importance of TBI, facilitating national policies for its prevention and treatment via standardized surveillance. More than 30 non-governmental groups officially supported the campaign. A sponsoring member state made a public commitment to co-sponsor a WHA resolution, which set the stage for ongoing diplomatic progress and engagement across regions.

conclusionTo improve global brain health equity, access to long-term care, and the resilience of health systems, it is important to recognize TBI as a notifiable and chronic condition. A dedicated WHA resolution would make TBI a part of global health governance, making sure that it is counted, tracked, and dealt with as quickly and comprehensively as possible. It is both a technical necessity and a moral duty to help survivors and families and fight for justice in global health systems.

Indexed as

chronic diseaseglobal health policylived experiencenotifiable conditionrehabilitationsurveillancethe Global Coalition for TBItraumatic brain injury (TBI)WHA resolutionworld health assembly

Identifiers

PMID41750135
PMCPMC12938628

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.