The Lancet Launches Commission on Schizophrenia with Global Core Expert Group
On May 24th, World Schizophrenia Awareness Day, an international group of leading researchers and clinicians, co-chaired by Marion Leboyer (Université Paris-Est Créteil, AP-HP, Inserm, Fondation FondaMental – France) and Michael Berk (NHMRC, Deakin University, Barwon Health – Australia), announced the launch of the Lancet Commission on Schizophrenia and Psychotic Disorders. Spearheaded by The Lancet, one of the world’s leading medical journals, with the support of Fondation Sisley-d’Ornano and Fondation FondaMental, this landmark initiative aims to advance scientific understanding, improve clinical care, and shape global health policy for one of the most complex and often neglected mental health conditions.
Schizophrenia and related psychotic disorders affect approximately 23 million people worldwide (around 1 in 345 people) and are associated with profound health, social, and economic burdens. Despite major advances in genetics, neurobiology, epidemiology, and treatment, substantial gaps remain in diagnosis, prevention, long-term care, and public understanding, with schizophrenia accounting for 1.5–3% of healthcare expenditure in developed countries.
This initiative is detailed in an Comment published by The Lancet on May 21, 2026, entitled “Announcing the Lancet Commission on schizophrenia and psychotic disorders”, co-authored by Marion Leboyer (UPEC, AP-HP, Inserm, Fondation FondaMental, scientific lead of the French Research Program on Precision Psychiatry PEPR PROPSY – France), Michael Berk (Deakin University and Barwon Health – Australia), Bruno Pedraz-Petrozzi (Fondation FondaMental, Central Institute of Mental Health, University of Heidelberg, PEPR PROPSY – France/Germany) and Moritz Spangemacher (Central Institute of Mental Health, University of Heidelberg – Germany).
Bridging the gap between knowledge and care
To address these persistent challenges, the Commission will during the coming 3 years bring together scientific evidence, clinical expertise, and lived experience to create an integrated framework for understanding and managing psychotic disorders. Its purpose is not simply to summarize the available literature, but to offer a critical and forward-looking overview of an urgent health problem.
Its final report will provide practical, evidence-based guidance for healthcare providers, including general practitioners, psychiatrists, and allied specialists, as well as accessible, plain-language information for patients, families, and policymakers worldwide.
A broad, patient-first approach
The Commission recognizes that there is often overlap between schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depression, and other syndromes. To reflect this, an integrated approach will be followed in order to move beyond rigid diagnostic categories and better reflect the true complexity of psychotic disorders.
People with lived experience, families and advocacy groups will be central to the Commission’s work, guiding interpretation of evidence, and ensuring that recommendations are socially relevant, feasible, and impactful. The Commission also aims to address stigma, discrimination, social exclusion, and inequities in care, with particular attention to settings where mental health services are limited or under-resourced.
The Experts Shaping the Commission
The Commission’s final report will synthesize the most significant scientific and clinical advances on schizophrenia, while identifying persistent knowledge gaps and setting priorities for the next decade of research and practice.
This work is organized into nine chapters covering diagnostic validity, life course and staging, epidemiology and risk, mechanisms and biomarkers, co-occurring psychiatric and physical conditions, stigma and social responses, treatments, policy and clinical recommendations, and future research priorities.
To ensure comprehensive coverage, a team of internationally recognized Core Experts has been appointed as scientific and writing leads:
- Peter Falkai (Germany): Professor and Chairman of the Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy at Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich and spokesperson for the German Center for Mental Health (DZPG)
- Alison Yung (Australia): MD, NHMRC Research Leadership Fellow and Professor of Psychiatry at the Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation (IMPACT), Deakin University
- Maxime Taquet (United Kingdom): MSc BM BCh MRCPsych PhD, Associate Professor at the University of Oxford
- Rob McCutcheon (United Kingdom): MRCPsych, PhD, Associate Professor and consultant psychiatrist at the University of Oxford
- Dan Siskind (Australia): MBBS, MPH, PhD, FRANZC, Clinical Academic Psychiatrist at Metro South Addiction and Mental Health Service and Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Queensland
- Nicola Reavley (Australia): Principal Research Fellow at Melbourne School of Population and Global Health
- Mark Weiser (Israel): from the Division of Psychiatry at Sheba Medical Center and Professor of Psychiatry at Tel Aviv University School of Medicine
- Andreas Meyer-Lindenberg (Germany): Professor and Chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy at Heidelberg University, CEO and Medical Director of the Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy at the Central Institute of Mental Health in Mannheim
By combining international expertise, interdisciplinary perspectives, and input from people with lived experience, the Commission aims to redefine how psychotic disorders are understood, diagnosed, and treated globally, while addressing stigma, discrimination, and social exclusion.
The Lancet Commission on Schizophrenia is a chance to set the research and clinical agenda for the next decade, ensuring that scientific breakthroughs translate into tangible improvements in understanding, preventing, and treating this complex disorder.
Michael Berk, NHMRC Senior Principal Research Fellow, Alfred Deakin Chair of Psychiatry at Deakin University and Barwon Health, Australia, Director of the Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation (IMPACT)
Our goal is to integrate the latest scientific evidence with clinical experience and lived perspectives to produce a comprehensive, accessible resource that supports clinicians, guides research, informs policy, and ultimately improves outcomes for people living with schizophrenia and related disorders worldwide.
Marion Leboyer, Professor of Psychiatry (UPEC, AP-HP, Inserm), CEO of the Fondation FondaMental, Scientific Director of the PEPR PROPSY precision psychiatry exploratory research program (Inserm and CNRS with Fondation FondaMental; France 2030)
The kick-off meeting of the Lancet consortium was organized with the support of Fondation Sisley-d’Ornano and Fondation FondaMental.
Press Contact
Mathilde Couderc – mathilde.couderc@agence-constance.fr – +33 (0)7 57 68 30 62
French Precision Psychiatry Research Program – PEPR PROPSY
The PEPR PROPSY precision psychiatry research program is jointly led by Inserm and CNRS, with the support of the Fondation FondaMental, as part of the France 2030 investment plan.
Scientific leadership is provided by Professor Marion Leboyer, with Dr. Boris Chaumette serving as Deputy Scientific Director.
PEPR PROPSY aims to promote the implementation of precision medicine for five of the most disabling psychiatric disorders: bipolar disorders, treatment-resistant depression, schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorders, and first-episode psychosis.
Thirteen targeted projects have been selected for funding. These are complemented by additional calls for projects managed by Inserm or the French National Research Agency (ANR).
To learn more about PEPR PROPSY, visit the website and subscribe for updates.
