The WHO’s Consultative Expert Working Group on Research & Development: Financing and Coordination

People living in the world's poorest countries oftentimes have unique health challenges.  Many developing countries and their populations have infectious diseases that do not affect people living in more affluent countries.  Although frequently referred to as tropical diseases, many are actually better classified as diseases of poverty.  Those in the world's poorest places also suffer from diseases that afflict people everywhere.   Ailments such as AIDS, cancer and heart disease recognize no borders.

 

Despite the significant need for life-saving diagnostics, vaccines, and medicines in poor countries and regions, access frequently is limited by expense, complexity, logistics, or other challenges.  Lack of refrigeration in hot climates is a considerable issue.

 

While market mechanisms have spurred tremendous innovation in health advancement in wealthy countries, there often is little financial incentive for private companies to invest in research and development (R&D) for preventive measures or treatments for diseases that primarily affect the world’s poorest populations.  And even where drugs and vaccines already exist, those who need them most in many instances cannot afford them, and the firms holding patents do not produce and distribute their products for lack of profit.

 

The U.S. Government is proud that it has led the world in supporting health research and development for developing countries.  The U.S. Government currently provides roughly 40 percent of global financing for this type of R&D.  Our commitment is driven by the understanding that these diseases contribute to the crippling cycle of poverty that affects entire nations and economies.  We also know that the world is more interconnected today than ever before; diseases such as multi-drug resistant tuberculosis and dengue can be imported into the United States.

 

The U.S. Government encourages other countries to join us in doing more to support this effort.  We welcome new ideas to create incentives and better advocacy for these health concerns.

 

Background

The World Health Organization and its Member States have for many years recognized the challenges developing countries have in health advancement.  In 2000, the WHO organized the Commission on Macroeconomics and Health to explore the health challenges and opportunities of developing countries. The Commission categorized developing country disease needs into to three types:

  • Type I:  Diseases present in both rich and poor countries, with large numbers of vulnerable populations in each.
  • Type II:  Diseases present in both rich and poor countries, but with a substantial proportion of the cases in poor countries.
  • Type III:  Diseases overwhelmingly or exclusively present in developing countries.

The report of the WHO Commission made the recommendation for the establishment of a global financing mechanism to respond to these health needs.

 

The CEWG

The World Health Assembly (WHA) established the Consultative Expert Working Group on Research and Development: Financing and Coordination (CEWG) in May 2010 in response to the concern that insufficient resources were being devoted globally to research and development to address treatments for diseases that principally affect developing countries.

 

The CEWG is mandated forward the work of its predecessor, the Expert Working Group on R&D financing and coordination, and to examine the appropriateness of different R&D financing approaches and the feasibility of implementation of these approaches in each of the six WHO regions.

 

The CEWG delivered its final Report in April 2012 which included a series of recommendations around innovative financing to meet the research and development needs of developing countries.  At the 65th WHA in May of the same year, Member States passed Resolution 65.22 which called for national, regional, and global consultations to review the recommendations put forth in the CEWG Report within the context of the Global Strategy and Plan of Action on Public Health, Innovation and Intellectual Property.