A call to action: the second Lancet Commission on Adolescent Health

“The investments made in this generation of adolescents will determine our human and planetary futures, for good or for ill. The time to act is now.”

Almost 10 years has passed since the campus led the first Lancet Commission on Adolescent Health and Wellbeing which catalysed the inclusion of adolescent health within the global health architecture. Whilst progress has been made, many areas of need are escaping our efforts, and much more needs to be done to ensure optimal adolescent health and wellbeing. This second Lancet Commission brought together a diverse group of 44 commissioners from across continents, disciplines and generations – including 10 youth commissioners who co-led each workstream.

In this Grand Round, five commissioners from the Melbourne Children’s precinct highlighted where progress has been made and where it has stalled, the new drivers that have emerged that are shaping adolescent health, and the actions that are required to advance adolescent health and wellbeing globally.

Watch the Grand Rounds recording here

Speakers

	Professor Susan Sawyer AM holds the Geoff and Helen Handbury Chair of Adolescent Health at the University of Melbourne and is Director of the Centre for Adolescent Health at the Royal Children’s Hospital. A paediatrician by training, she is internationally recognised for her leadership in adolescent health.
	Molly O’Sullivan is an experienced public health professional with more than 10 years’ experience as a research and program coordinator and health communicator. Molly has expertise in youth engagement and with managing complex, multi-stakeholder projects and fostering international collaborations in adolescent health research.
	Kate Francis is a biostatistician at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute where she is involved in statistical analysis supporting global adolescent health and wellbeing research. Kate also provides statistical expertise for clinical trials aimed at improving outcomes for newborn infants.
	Luo Li is a PhD candidate at the Centre of Adolescent Health and the University of Melbourne. Her primary research interest is looking at existing measures of wellbeing for adolescents and understanding how these measures are applied in global population surveys.
	Professor Peter Azzopardi leads an international program of research focusing on adolescent health and wellbeing. His research is informed by experience working as a paediatrician in Australia and across health services in the Asia Pacific region.