The Lancet Commission is an international, interdisciplinary effort synthesising the highest-quality evidence on psychosis, and translating it into clinically useful, mechanistically grounded, and socially relevant guidance for the decade ahead.
Florence kick-off held on 27 March 2026
The first paper announcing the Lancet Commission on Schizophrenia and Psychotic Disorders.
Read the paper announcing the Lancet Commission →Why this Lancet Commission matters
Current diagnostic categories remain clinically useful, but they do not fully capture the marked biological, clinical, prognostic, and etiological heterogeneity of psychotic syndromes. The Lancet Commission delivers a critical, integrative, and forward-looking reassessment of the field, including transdiagnostic interfaces and implications for diagnosis, treatment, and public policy.
Going beyond a traditional literature review to identify innovative, high-priority research directions for the next decade of psychosis science.
Identifying where evidence is weak, contradictory, or where current categories no longer serve patients or science.
Moving toward a more biologically grounded, clinically useful, and socially relevant view of psychotic disorders.
For clinicians, researchers, policymakers, and, centrally, people with lived experience and their families.
Support the Lancet Commission
Contributions help fund the Lancet Commission's work and connected side projects on schizophrenia and psychotic disorders research.
For all fundraising matters, please contact: mathilde.durieux@fondation-fondamental.org
Any funds received directly support the work of the Commission and do not go to The Lancet Group.
Roadmap
Eight quarters of coordinated work across nine working groups, culminating in submission of the Lancet Commission paper in early 2028. The schedule below is tentative and may evolve as work progresses.
Indicative timeline, subject to change.
Structure
Each working group is led by a Core Expert and developed with invited experts and junior scientists, harmonised into a single Lancet Commission framework.
Re-examining the conceptual basis of schizophrenia and the boundaries of psychotic syndromes.
Contributing experts
From early risk states through chronic illness, staging models and trajectories of psychosis.
Contributing experts
Population-level burden, modifiable risk, and the economic footprint of psychotic disorders.
Contributing experts
Selected reading
Social determinants of mental disorders and the Sustainable Development GoalsLund et al., The Lancet Psychiatry (2018)
Synthesizing mechanistic evidence and the state of biomarkers for diagnosis and stratification.
Contributing experts
Selected reading
Research Domain Criteria: Toward a new classification frameworkInsel et al., American Journal of Psychiatry (2010)
Physical health, multimorbidity, and the complex interface with other psychiatric conditions.
Contributing experts
Selected reading
Prevalence of multimorbidity in people with and without severe mental illnessHalstead et al., The Lancet Psychiatry (2024)
Stigma, discrimination, and how societies respond to people with psychotic illness.
Contributing experts
Selected reading
The Lancet Commission on ending stigma and discrimination in mental healthThornicroft et al., The Lancet (2022)
Pharmacological, psychosocial, and emerging therapies, what works, for whom, and when.
Contributing experts
Selected reading
Effectiveness of antipsychotic drugs in patients with chronic schizophreniaLieberman et al., NEJM (2005)
Translating evidence into actionable clinical and public policy guidance worldwide.
Contributing experts
Selected reading
Transforming mental health systems globally: Principles and policy recommendationsPatel et al., The Lancet (2023)
Setting the agenda, open questions, methods, and priorities for the next decade of research.
Contributing experts
Selected reading
Toward principles of brain network organization and functionKulkarni & Bassett, Annual Review of Biophysics (2025)
How working groups are developed
Invited experts feed key references into working group teams of core experts and junior scientists, who draft, revise, and align each working group to a shared Lancet Commission framework.
Invited experts contribute key references and specialist perspectives to each working group.
Teams of core experts and junior scientists draft, discuss, and revise the working group.
Each working group is aligned to a shared Lancet Commission framework and integrated into one narrative.
Have your say
Anyone can suggest research priorities for schizophrenia and psychotic disorders. Age, sex and language are optional and help us understand who is contributing.
Questions or details
For questions about the Lancet Commission, partnerships, or media inquiries, email us at eve.freitas@fondation-fondamental.org.