Story of an Essential Resolution The WHO Resolution on A Global Framework on Essential Health R

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Story of an Essential ResolutionThe WHO
Resolution on A Global Framework on Essential
Health RD
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Lets 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

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• Why do we need
• this resolution?

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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

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Problem extends beyond poverty-related diseases

• Disproportionate emphasis of RD 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

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Why now?
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Availability of new tools could revolutionise RD
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

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Growing awareness that the current RD system
requires examination

• Need to evaluate current RD inefficiencies
• Need for a balance between IP and public domain
• Critical role of developing countries in new
  health technologies

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What is this resolution about?
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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

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What this resolution is not about

• It is not about nationalising medical RD
• It is not against Intellectual Property Rights
  It recognises the importance of IPR mechanisms in
  stimulating investment in RD
• It is not aimed at disregarding the key role of
  the private sector

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Timelines Outcomes

• By Jan 2007 governments must put together a
  working group aimed at
• establishing a global framework to support
  needs-driven research
• setting RD priorities in the interest of public
  health
• defining policies that create an enabling
  environment for essential health RD
• By 2008 governments must report back to WHO with
  recommendations of the working group

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• 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