[Ip-health] WHO releases sketchy report on second meeting of Expert Working Group on R&D Financing

[Malini Aisola]

http://www.keionline.org/blogs/2009/07/01/ewg-2nd-meetin/

WHO releases sketchy report on second meeting of Expert Working Group on
R&D Financing

By kei-staff, on July 1st, 2009

The World Health Organization just published a report on this week=E2=80=99=
s
second meeting of the WHO Expert Working Group (EWG) on R&D Financing.

The first meeting (http://www.who.int/phi/1stmeeting/en/index.html) of
the WHO EWG, in January 2009, was shrouded in secrecy, with news about
the event only released after the fact. According to documents now on
the WHO web page, the International Federation of Pharmaceutical
Manufacturers & Associations (IFPMA), the Bill and Melinda Gates
Foundation, the Global Forum for Health Research, The George Institute
for International Health, ESSENCE Initiative and Consultative Group on
International Agricultural Research and some other groups had the
opportunity to present their perspectives to the EWG, and attend the EWG
meeting. One common feature =E2=80=94 no groups attending the 1st EWG were
considered critical of strong IPR regimes.

Despite several requests, the second meeting did not allow presentations
by or the presence of the public or Member States. Only members of the
WHO staff that were hand picked by the WHO Secretariat could attend.

The WHO report on the EWG second meeting was very brief, and gave only a
few details of its work. [For earlier civil society expressions of
concern about the EWG process, see here
(http://www.keionline.org/blogs/2009/06/30/civil-society-ewg/) and here
(http://tinyurl.com/mfdaa8)].


**************************************************
Source: http://www.who.int/phi/2ndewg_rdfinancing/en/index.html
        Second meeting of the WHO Expert Working Group on R&D Financing

        The Expert Working Group (EWG) held its second meeting this
week. In its meeting, the Group continued its discussions on current
financing and coordination of R&D, including the review of the results
of the report on Global Funding of Innovation for Neglected Diseases
(G-Finder), and it further reviewed the outcomes and findings of other
ongoing relevant international initiatives on financing, such as those
of Working Group 2 of the High Level Task Force on innovative financing
for health systems and The I-8 Group / L.I.F.E. (Leading Innovative
Financing for Equity).

        The EWG also discussed innovative frameworks for financing R&D
as well as examining the coordination of R&D. It reviewed in detail the
contributions from its members . The EWG members had received and
examined the contributions from member states and also those from other
stakeholders that had been solicited through the public hearing. The EWG
then further elaborated a process for extended analysis of current R&D
financing mechanisms which would include the submitted proposals and
other key financing proposals in circulation.

        This process will envisage the opportunity for inputs from a
wider interested public including member states, individuals, civil
society groups, government institutions, academic and research
institutions, the private sector and other interested parties. In
addition, the EWG plans to provide updates on the work in progress from
time to time.

        The EWG also discussed a framework for its final report to be
presented to the Director-General which would adhere strictly to the
mandate established in accordance with the Resolution WHA 61.21 on
Global strategy and plan of action on public health, innovation and
intellectual property.

        Geneva, 1 July 2009

**************************************************
The following are some items that could and probably should be added to
this quite short report.

An Agenda of the meeting
      * A list of participants.
      * The presentations made and documents distributed
      * More information on the process that has been elaborated to
analyze proposals, including the names of consultants and WHO staff that
have been asked to work on this evaluation.
      * Date and location of next meetings
      *
Additional reporting on the EWG meeting here:

Health R&D Experts Conclude Meeting With Few Details But Signal More
Openness (http://tinyurl.com/nfnvrn), Kaitlin Mara, ip-watch, 1 July
2009




--
Malini Aisola
Knowledge Ecology International
1621 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 500, Washington DC 20009
malini.aisola@keionline.org|Tel: +1.202.332.2670|Fax: +1.202.332.2673