National And Regional Initiatives To Spur Research For New Antibiotics 27/05/2016 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A side event to the World Health Assembly organised by a number of delegations on antibiotic research and innovation reflected the deep global concern about antimicrobial resistance and the lack of candidates to replace what was once considered as a miracle of modern medicine.
Shift In Discussions About R&D At This Week’s World Health Assembly 26/05/2016 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Public health advocates – and many nations – had high hopes that this year’s World Health Assembly could finally agree on some alternative ways to fund research and development that leads to affordable medical products by de-linking R&D costs from prices, through the long-awaited discussion of a landmark 2012 report of a WHO expert group on medical R&D. This week, that discussion has spread across the highest profile topics of the week such as antimicrobial resistance and emergencies, but some are concerned that the public health safeguards recommended by the expert group may be being left behind.
WHA: Pandemic Flu Preparedness Framework Praised; Vaccine Production Still Short 26/05/2016 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment Adopted five years ago, the World Health Organization Pandemic Influenza Preparedness (PIP) Framework is currently undergoing its first review. Member states gathered in committee at the World Health Assembly yesterday mostly expressed support for the framework, and took note of a report by the WHO secretariat.
Amending Pharmaceutical Industry Practices Can Build Trust, Panellists Say 26/05/2016 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment At a side event to this week’s World Health Assembly, GlaxoSmithKline detailed measures taken by the company to dispel the perception of conflict of interest, and build trust, including amending the ways its sales forces operate, and no longer paying speakers at scientific congresses, and said it wants to provide leadership on the issue. Patients and physicians associations call for mainstreaming those practices.
Unaffordable Medicines Now Global Issue; System Needs Change, Panellists Say 25/05/2016 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 5 Comments At a side event to this week’s annual World Health Assembly, a member of the Netherlands Ministry of Health delivered an unexpected speech on access to medicines, calling for more clarity in the setting of medicine prices, looking inside and outside of the patent system for solutions, and praising de-linkage. Other panellists viewed partnerships as a key ingredient to fill research and development gaps. And a representative from the Gates Foundation advised against a hasty switch to new system.
Countries ‘Disappointed’ With WHO Reform Progress 25/05/2016 by Mara Pillinger for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The World Health Organization secretariat this week reported to its member states on progress made in implementing sweeping programmatic, governance, and management reforms. The report? WHO has made progress, but there is still a long way to go. Member states, meanwhile, used the opportunity to express concern about the way it is going.
WHO Engagement With Outside Actors: Delegates Tight-Lipped, Civil Society Worried 24/05/2016 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments This week, country delegates meeting at the annual World Health Assembly are expected to come to an agreement on a framework managing the UN World Health Organization’s relationship with outside actors, such as the private sector, philanthropic organisations and civil society groups.
Initiative To Find New Antibiotics Launched At WHA 24/05/2016 by Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments A new initiative seeking to develop new antibiotic treatments is being launched today at the annual World Health Assembly. The Global Antibiotic Research and Development (GARD) is a partnership between the World Health Organization and the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi).
Global Health R&D Under Debate At World Health Assembly 24/05/2016 by Mara Pillinger for Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment What’s at stake for global health R&D during WHA 69? This was the question of the moment at a World Health Assembly side event panel yesterday. Image Credits: Mara Pillinger
Health Systems, Collaboration, Research Funding Before Innovation, Speakers Say 23/05/2016 by Catherine Saez, Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The fight against epidemics cannot only rely on innovation, according to speakers at an event organised by the pharmaceutical industry alongside the annual World Health Assembly’s opening day. Strong health systems, collaboration of all stakeholders, preventive measures, and the ability to fund research are prerequisite to innovation, they said.