The year 2025 was a memorable one for global science, with sweeping changes in US research, dramatic developments on PFAS, and total deadlock on a vital plastics treaty. In this article, we briefly review 2025’s biggest science stories - and predict some of the major events that could happen in 2026.

1. Will the world split on PFAS policy?

In 2025, “forever chemicals” got real – and personal – with 11 company executives given jail terms over pollution in Italy, and three US companies agreeing to pay over $2 billion of PFAS-related damages and remediation costs to New Jersey. The Trump administration faced criticism for diluting the strength of America's PFAS drinking water standards, and California governor Gavin Newsom also attracted protests after vetoing a major forever chemicals ban.

Meanwhile, the European Union (EU) looks ready to head in the opposite direction. Throughout 2025, EU scientists have been working on the detail of wide-ranging proposals that, if adopted, could cut PFAS emissions by 80-90%. Expect a provisional recommendation from a European Chemicals Agency committee on which of three “restriction options” it favours by March 2026, and a final recommendation to the bloc’s decision makers by the end of the year.

2. Will we finally get a global plastics treaty?

One of the most concerning stories of 2025 was the world’s “abject failure” to agree a plastic pollution treaty. Despite around six million tonnes of plastic entering our lakes, rivers, and oceans annually, causing an estimated $1.5 billion of health-related economic losses, international talks have been going on without success for more than three years. In October, the chair of the negotiations resigned, admitting “There have been some challenges in the process”, with participating countries divided into two distinct camps. On the one hand, oil producing nations argue that “plastics are fundamental for everyday life,” and do not want manufacturing limits. But, on the other, about 100 countries say improving recycling alone is not enough.

Despite the gloom, there was some significant scientific progress on plastics – particularly microplastics analysis – with the International Standards Organisation (ISO) publishing ISO 1609-2, an important new standard for testing microplastics in water. Meanwhile, LGC Standards contributed another notable first – our revolutionary range of microplastic reference materials.

You also won’t want to miss another highlight of early 2026 – our new webinar, entitled Microplastics in Focus: Lightning Talks on Research and Measurement, which will take place on February 18th. Among the speakers will be Dr Dan Biggerstaff, LGC Standards’ Technical Director, Americas, and a Key Opinion Leader on the ISO panel for developing specifications and accreditation for microplastic standards. Look out for an invite soon!

3. Will the EU walk the walk on pesticide exports?

It’s now five years since the EU pledged to “lead by example”, and stop exports of pesticides that are banned from use at home, and yet we’re still waiting for it to make good on that promise. This lack of action hasn’t gone unnoticed, with a new investigation from two NGOs pointing out in September that nearly 122,000 tonnes of EU-banned pesticides were exported by companies in the bloc in 2024 – an increase of 50% on 2018 figures. The report also revealed that 75% of the countries receiving the chemicals were low- or middle-income nations – prompting accusations of a “blatant, obvious double standard."

An EU spokesperson responded by insisting that “The commission shares the concerns regarding exports to third countries of EU-banned pesticides and is committed to addressing this important issue.” They added that it had launched a public consultation in 2023 and that “evaluation of the possible options to implement this initiative” was still ongoing. This could include “amending relevant legislation if and as needed.” So, is it time for the EU to walk the walk, as well as talk the talk?

4. Breakthrough drugs to look out for in 2026

In an era when science – and science policy - has become contentious, it’s comforting to see the progress that scientists are making around the world on developing new, life-saving treatments. A report this summer from Cancer Research UK reminded us that we’re currently living in “a golden age of cancer research” – with the proportion of people surviving the disease having doubled since the 1970s.

In 2026, we could see more significant additions to our toolbox of cancer drugs – including pelabresib, a BET inhibitor targeting myelofibrosis that has demonstrated “substantial clinical benefit” in phase three trials, when used in combination with ruxolitinib. Next year could also see the arrival on the market of valiltramiprosate – which showed specific promise in treating Alzheimer’s patients with mild cognitive impairment and the APOE4/4 genotype.

Meanwhile, keep an eye on AMT-130 – a gene therapy that was heralded this year as the first to slow Huntington’s disease progression, following impressive Phase I/II trial results. AMT-130’s developers uniQure had hoped to file a request to market in early 2026, but are currently mulling over what they term "unexpected" and "disappointing" pre-application feedback from the FDA.

5. Will weight loss drugs go world-wide?

In the generic drugs sector, perhaps the big story for 2026 is that patents of semaglutide – the active ingredient in the blockbuster weight-loss medicines Ozempic and Wegovy - will expire early next year in emerging markets such as Brazil, China, India, and Turkey. According to The Economist, this development has the power to “make 2026 the year that weight-loss drugs go truly global."

The magazine says that China already has an estimated 30 new weight-loss treatments in late-stage trials – while in India alone, there are an estimated 84 million obese adults, as well as pharma production facilities that could soon “flood the world with cheap slimming jabs.”

Meanwhile, Eli Lilly could receive US regulatory approval early next year for orforglipron - a once-a-day pill for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and obesity – that could eventually spell the end for weight loss injections.

Authors

Andy Blizzard

Content Writer