Story of an Essential Resolution

The WHO Resolution on “A Global Framework on Essential Health R&D”

Let’s start at the very beginning…

• 16 November 2005: Kenya sends draft resolution to the WHO Executive Board (EB)

• 6 January 2006: As there is no response from the WHO, 30 entities and individuals send a letter to WHO DG – Letter has desired effect –

• A week later - Kenya text put on the EB agenda• 23 January 2006: 2 different letters sent to WHO DG

from > 200 scientists and Members of European Parliament in support of the resolution

• 27 January 2006: EB discusses resolution and forwards it to the World Health Assembly for further discussion

• May 2006: WHA will debate the resolution

Why do we need

this resolution?

Too many people die from neglected diseases

• 35,000 people die everyday from infectious neglected diseases e.g., AIDS, TB, malaria, kala-azar, sleeping sickness, Chagas disease

• These people live in poorer regions of the world• Basic science on the disease causing parasites

exists but is not being translated into health tools• So no new drugs, diagnostics or vaccines are

available to treat or prevent these diseases

Problem extends beyond poverty-related diseases

• Disproportionate emphasis of R&D on me-too drugs in rich countries at expense of new drugs needed to counter:– Resistance to antibiotics that has reached

critical levels – Resistant strains of disease– New health threats emerging regularly– Vaccines for AIDS and other illnesses

Why now?

Availability of new tools could revolutionise R&D for global benefit

• The Internet has made the concept of open access to knowledge viable and affordable, improving health research productivity, e.g.,:– HapMap Project (2002) to identify, catalogue and

compare genetic similarities and differences in human beings

– Human Genome Project (1990- 2003) to identify all the genes and genetic sequences in human DNA, and make available this information in the public domain

Growing awareness that the current R&D system requires examination

• Need to evaluate current R&D inefficiencies

• Need for a balance between IP and public domain

• Critical role of developing countries in new health technologies

What is this resolution about?

Greater public leadership

• Building a new global health regime consistent with human rights and public health priorities

• Investing in health as a strategic sector, providing sustainable levels of financial support

• Encouraging innovation in the way research is pursued and developed globally

• Promoting a balanced framework for medical innovation that does not rely upon a single incentive mechanism

• Establishing the next phase of the Essential Drugs policy of the 70s

What this resolution is not about

• It is not about nationalising medical R&D

• It is not against Intellectual Property Rights: It recognises the importance of IPR mechanisms in stimulating investment in R&D

• It is not aimed at disregarding the key role of the private sector

Timelines & Outcomes

• By Jan 2007 governments must put together a working group aimed at – establishing a global framework to support needs-

driven research – setting R&D priorities in the interest of public health – defining policies that create an enabling environment

for essential health R&D

• By 2008 governments must report back to WHO with recommendations of the working group

We urge WHO Member States

to approve this resolution at the

WHA in May 2006.

Governments must take responsibility

for global health policies

and priorities