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Financing and Coordination of Global Health Research and Development

National Consultation on the Final Report of the World Health Organization’s Consultative Expert Working Group on Research and Development: Financing and Coordination

The Department of Health and Ageing recently invited public submissions as part of a national consultation process on the Final Report of World Health Organization (WHO)’s Consultative Expert Working Group on Research and Development: Financing and Coordination.

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Call for submissions
• List of submissions
• Additional Background: WHO’s work on public health innovation and intellectual property
• Contact the Department

Introduction

At the 65th World Health Assembly in May 2012, Member States discussed the issue of financing and coordination of global health research and development (R&D). At the centre of discussion was the Final Report of WHO’s Consultative Expert Working Group (CEWG) on Research and Development: Financing and Coordination.

The CEWG Final Report analyses the current situation of R&D for health needs in developing countries, assesses various proposals for financing and coordination of these activities and makes recommendations about which options should be pursued by the WHO and its Member States.

For the final report of the CEWG please visit the report's page on the WHO website.

The World Health Assembly resolved to conduct further consultation about the issues raised in the CEWG Final Report. For a copy of the resolution please visit Follow up of the report of the Consultative Expert Working Group on Research and Development: Financing and Coordination.

Additional background is available at the end of this webpage.

Call for Submissions

Please note that the call for submissions process has now closed.

In response to the World Health Assembly’s Resolution, the Department of Health and Ageing called for written submissions on the CEWG Final Report. Submissions were invited to address the following questions:

1. Which options in the CEWG Final Report have the most merit and provide practical, implementable ways forward to better support health R&D addressing the needs of developing countries?

2. Are there any other options that are not supported in the CEWG Final Report that should be considered?

3. What are the opportunities and risks for Australia, its national interests and global public health in responding to the CEWG Final Report recommendations?

List of Submissions

1. National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) submission (Word 36 KB)
2. Dr Matthew Rimmer submission (Word 72 KB)

Additional Background: WHO's Work on Public Health, Innovation and Intellectual Property

The WHO is committed to ensuring a cohesive and sustainable approach to financing and coordinating global health related Research and Development (R&D) as part of its strategy and plan of action on public health, innovation and intellectual property.

At the 56^th World Health Assembly in 2003, Member States resolved to create the Commission on Intellectual Property Rights, Innovation and Public Health (CIPIH). This group was established with the remit to:

'...collect data and proposals from the different actors involved and produce an analysis of intellectual property rights, innovation and public health, including the question of appropriate funding and incentive mechanisms for the creation of new medicines and other products against diseases that disproportionately affect developing countries.'

The CIPIH presented its final report in 2006, with one of the main recommendations calling for the development of a global strategy and plan of action aimed at securing an enhanced and sustainable basis for needs driven, essential health research and development relevant to those diseases affecting developing countries. An Intergovernmental Working Group (IGWG) was created to progress this recommendation and after multiple meetings and negotiations, the Global Strategy and Plan of Action on Public Health, Innovation and Intellectual Property (GSPA-PHI) was agreed in 2008.

At the same time, an Expert Working Group (EWG) on Research and Development Financing was set up to review the large quantity of related analysis stemming from the GSPA-PHI and to build upon the earlier work of the CIPIH and the IGWG. This group's final report was presented to the Director-General of WHO. It contained recommendations around the current state of financing of research and development, coordination of research and development and proposals for new, innovative sources of financing to stimulate research and development. For the EWG Final Report please visit Report of the World Health Organization Expert Working Group on Research and Development Financing.

In 2010, the World Health Assembly agreed to continue to further explore the recommendations of the EWG and created the Consultative Expert Working Group (CEWG) on Research and Development: Financing and Coordination. The CEWG’s principal task was to deepen the analysis and to take forward the work of its predecessor. Underlying both expert groups was the objective set out in the WHO Global Strategy and Plan of Action to:

'…examine current financing and coordination of research and development, as well as proposals for new and innovative sources of financing to stimulate research and development related to Type II and Type III diseases and the specific research and development needs of developing countries in relation to Type I diseases. '

The CEWG released its Final Report in April 2012.

Contact the Department

If you are unable to access any of the documents listed above, or have any further questions, please contact the Department of Health and Ageing on (02) 6289 2349 or by email who and we will post copies of them out to you.

Links

WHO Resolution WHA65.22

Final Report of WHO Consultative Expert Working Group on Research and Development: Financing and Coordination

WHO Strategy and Plan of Action on Public Health, Innovation and Intellectual Property

Report of the WHO Expert Working Group on Research and Development

NHMRC submission (Word 36 KB)
NHMRC submission (PDF 374 KB)

Dr Matthew Rimmer submission (Word 72 KB)
Dr Matthew Rimmer submission (PDF 1018 KB)