[Ip-health] DNDi submission to the WHO intergovernmental working group

[Jean-François Alesandrini]

Please find below the summary of DNDI's contribution to the

intergovernmental working group on public health, innovation and

intellectual property.

The full text can be downloaded from
 http://www.who.int/public_hearing_phi/en/

Thanks
JFA


More than 6 million people die every year from neglected diseases (ND) such as malaria, tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, sleeping sickness, and kala-azar. An estimated 97% of these deaths occur in developing countries, with the poorest disproportionately affected.
In June 2005, Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) and its founding members launched a global appeal - supported by 19 Nobel Laureates - to trigger off strategic mobilization about the need for government leadership in ensuring a sustainable commitment towards boosting essential health innovation and delivering new safe, affordable, effective and field adapted health products for diseases that predominantly affect patients in developing countries.
Building on the CIPIH recommendations, the WHO IGWG has a breakthrough mission to perform. It will also have to address strategic issues highlighted in the Kenya/Brazil resolution, aiming at the creation of a global framework for essential health innovation.
Given the timeline of two years given to Member States for the definition of a global strategy and action plan, the challenges of this task are high.
DNDi considers that the adoption of CIPIH recommendations is an important preliminary approach to creating a better environment for essential health R&D.
This is a commitment that all member states should undertake, with a short/medium/long term prospect. As in the R&D process, it will not be enough to rely on the easiest, fast-truck options. Some policy actions will inevitably entail time-consuming consultations and long negotiations.
The public debate of governments around the issues of R&D will be complex, and will require a good deal of expertise from different actors. But the huge opportunity that the IGWG provides to look at new rules to stimulate essential health innovation should be taken to move away from the often polarised debate of the last few decades. The IGWG may provide a unique opportunity to do something significant and turn the way that medical research is carried out.
WHO would be placed in the middle of the discussion on how to stimulate essential health R&D and this could bravely mark the follow up of the Essential Drugs policy work that WHO pursued in the '70.
DNDi welcomes the opportunity to share what considers to be the most important issues for the global plan of action provided in Resolution WHA 59.24, in order to create a more favourable environment for needs-driven R&D.
These are:
* Priority setting
* Funding
* Intellectual Property and Open Access
* Regulatory Processes
* Clinical Trials Capacity


Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative
DNDI
Jean-Francois Alesandrini
Advocacy and Fundraising Director

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