Peking University, July 25, 2026: On July 18, the 9th International Symposium on "Medicine, Humanity and Media (MHM)" was held at the School of Journalism and Communication, Peking University. Under the theme "International Experience and Local Pathways in Constructing the Knowledge System of Health Communication," the event brought together nearly 100 scholars and doctoral students from leading institutions worldwide.



Chu Xiaobo, vice president of Peking University, emphasized in his opening remarks that health communication serves as a bridge between medical science and the public, carrying the strategic mission of supporting the "Healthy China" initiative. He noted that, over 8 years of development, the MHM symposium has become a vital platform for international dialogue in health communication.

Keynote speakers addressed critical issues at the intersection of AI and health communication. Professor Shaunak Sastry of UC Santa Barbara, first vice-president of the National Communication Association, called for health communication to embrace emancipatory values over managerial ones and cautioned against technological supremacy in the AI era. Professor Jörg Matthes of the University of Vienna, editor-in-chief of Communication Theory, outlined three major research directions in AI health communication and proposed new theoretical frameworks for the field.

Additional presentations explored AI's impact on social support mechanisms, digital health disparities among elderly populations, and intelligent health communication models. A Young Scholars' Roundtable and a mentorship program provided valuable guidance for doctoral students on academic growth and publication.

Over two days, 12 sub-forums featured 72 research papers, alongside themed workshops on stroke treatment and prevention, academic publishing and the global communication of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Follow-up activities included forums on AI-driven health governance, elderly communication, and a five-day summer school on health communication research. 

The conference aimed to integrate global insights with Chinese realities, build a solid foundation for young researchers, and advance localized yet globally informed health communication scholarship to support national public health strategies.

Written by: Hoa Pham
Edited by: Chen Shizhuo