In a year of profound transformation in global health, TIME magazine has unveiled its 2025 TIME100 Health list, spotlighting the 100 most influential people shaping health around the world. The announcement comes at a time when sweeping policy changes in the United States have left health professionals questioning the future of international cooperation and domestic progress.
This year’s list is revealed against a backdrop of disruption. President Donald Trump has formally withdrawn the U.S. from the World Health Organization (WHO) and defunded USAID, sparking concern among global health leaders. Domestically, the appointments of anti-establishment figures Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Dr. Marty Makary, and Dr. Jay Bhattacharya to key federal health positions have further unsettled public health agencies.
TIME’s editorial team, led by Emma Barker Bonomo and Mandy Oaklander and advised by Dr. David Agus and Arianna Huffington, spent months consulting experts to select this year’s honorees. The resulting list highlights individuals who are driving critical health innovations and challenging the status quo.
Among them is Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who made headlines by pushing legislation to ban social media for those under 16, responding to soaring rates of teen mental health issues. In the scientific sphere, researchers Tomas Cihlar and Wesley Sundquist have developed lenacapavir, an HIV treatment requiring just two injections per year—hailed as a major breakthrough.
Consumer health advocate Dr. Peter Lurie also earned recognition. As president of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, Lurie played a key role in securing a U.S. ban on Red Dye No. 3, a synthetic food coloring linked to cancer. His efforts mark a victory after decades of lobbying.
Princess Kate Middleton drew global attention earlier this year when she disclosed her cancer diagnosis at age 42, spurring a public conversation around rising cancer rates among younger adults.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who graces the cover of the issue, faces one of the toughest challenges of his career: steering the organization through a funding crisis following the U.S. withdrawal. In an interview at WHO headquarters in Geneva, Ghebreyesus acknowledged past missteps but outlined plans to make the organization more responsive, especially in the developing world.
The TIME100 Health list will culminate in a summit in New York City later this month, bringing together the honorees for an exchange of ideas focused on building a healthier future in an increasingly uncertain world.
