The Prevention Research 2026 conference, held on 4–5 March 2026 at The Vox in Birmingham, brought together researchers, policymakers, practitioners and funders from across the UK to advance work on non-communicable disease prevention and health equity.
Co-hosted by the UKPRP Prevention Research Network, Population Health Improvement UK, and the National Institute for Health and Care Research, the event convened diverse voices from some of the UK’s leading health research networks. The partnership enabled wide-ranging discussions on the systems, policies, upstream drivers and practices needed to improve population health and reduce inequalities nationwide.
Building on the strong foundations of the inaugural Prevention Research conference in 2023, this year’s programme showcased cutting-edge research across UKPRP-funded consortia, PHI-UK research groups, NIHR programmes as well as the wider prevention community. Sessions explored emerging research practices, cross-sector collaborations, systems approaches, and meaningful public involvement, providing a platform for new evidence, fresh ideas and constructive debate.
Keynotes from leading researchers including Professor Sharon Friel – a global authority on health equity and climate change – underscored the urgency of tackling the structural drivers of ill health. Additional plenary sessions included the Healthy and Equitable Futures fishbowl, which encouraged open dialogue on how the UK can build a fairer and healthier future. Monika Kosinska, who is based at the Health Determinants, Promotion and Prevention Department of the World Health Organisation, spoke to how minimizing the harm to health from commercial practices is central to improving health equity, and the structural challenges involved in doing so.
With high attendance and strong engagement, Prevention Research 2026 has reinforced the UK’s collaborative momentum in prevention science. The event’s success highlights a growing appetite for evidence-informed action, and sets the stage for continued progress in addressing the root causes of non-communicable diseases across the country.
