WORKING ON NEW STRATEGIES THE IGWG ON PUBLIC HEALTH INNOVATION AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AT W.H.O

1. WORKING ON NEW STRATEGIES – THE IGWG ON PUBLIC HEALTH INNOVATION AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AT W.H.O Dr Ahmed E.O. OGWELL, Head, Office for International Health Relations, Ministry of Health, KENYA

2. THE CONTEXT PRODUCTS OF R&D (Vaccines, Diagnostics, Treatments) KEY TO IMPROVEMENT OF HEALTH HEALTH CRITICAL TO DEVELOPMENT ? SUPPORT HEALTH ? HUMAN DEVELOPMENT! IMBALANCE: INTERESTS OF INNOVATION HOLDERS Vs PUBLIC GOOD I.P.R – ? COSTS OF HEALTH PRODUCTS

3. THE CONTEXT… 2 LACK OF R&D, and ACCESS TO MEDICINES ? POOR PEOPLE SUFFERING & DYING! GOVERNMENTS NOT ADDRESSING POVERTY & ILLNESS PATENT HOLDERS NOT ADDRESSING POVERTY & ILLNESS YET WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE IS KNOWN! ?WILL?

4. THE CRISIS THE SICK WHO ARE POOR ? NOT PROFITABLE PRIORITIES FOR R&D NOT SET DEVELOPING COUNTRIES NOT YET PART OF THE INNOVATION EQUATION WEAK CAPACITY (BUT EXISTS); ?FUNDING (CAN BE MOBILIZED) ? NO INNOVATION CYCLE GREAT NEED BUT NO SUSTAINABLE or RELIABLE MECHANISMS TO ADDRESS NEED PUBLIC LEADERSHIP – REQUIRED URGENTLY

5. ACTION 28TH MAY 2003 – WHA56.27 – Set up CIPIH. 27TH MAY 2006 – WHA59.24 which SET UP I.G.W.G 4 – 8TH DECEMBER 2006 – 1ST SESSION OF IGWG 5 – 10TH NOVEMBER 2007 – 2ND (Final?) SESSION OF IGWG

6. WHA56.27 PUBLIC HEALTH “PARAMOUNT” IN PHARMA & HEALTH POLICIES FULL USE OF ‘TRIPS’ WHERE NECESSARY SPUR R&D FOR ‘NEGLECTED’ DISEASES SET UP THE CIPIH ABOUT PUBLIC HEALTH BEING ABOVE PROFIT!

7. WHA59.24 WELCOMED THE CIPIH REPORT MAKING GLOBAL HEALTH & MEDICINES A PRIORITY SECTOR BUILDING A NEW HEALTH REGIME ? RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS & BASED ON PUBLIC HEALTH PRIORITIES SUSTAINABLE FINANCIAL SUPPORT EXPANDING THE R&D INCENTIVE MECHANISMS BEYOND I.P.R FOCUS IS IMPROVED, SAFE AND AFFORDABLE HEALTH PRODUCTS – DRUGS, VACCINES AND DIAGNOSTICS – THAT RESPOND TO PATIENT NEEDS IGWG WAS BORN!

8. IGWG – PHI GREATER PUBLIC LEADERSHIP ROLE: Global Strategy & Plan of Action A medium-term framework based on CIPIH Report. Secure a needs-driven essential R&D agenda that responds to diseases affecting the poor. Consultations. Sustainability.

9. IGWG-1 Dec 4 – 8 2006 – FULL HOUSE! 8 ELEMENTS: Prioritise R&D needs; Promote R&D; Build & improve innovative capacity; Improve delivery & access; Ensure sustainable financing; Monitoring & reporting systems; Transfer of technology; and Management of IP

10. THE CHALLENGE KEEPING THE FOCUS ON PUBLIC HEALTH AS “PARAMOUNT” (56.27) ROLES OF DIFFERENT PLAYERS – ALL! PARADIGM SHIFT – From Profits to Investment in Health ACCEPTING THAT THIS IGWG IS NOT ABOUT I.P.R but ABOUT ESSENTIAL R&D and ACCESS BY THE POOR 5 – 10 NOVEMBER 2007 – IGWG2 SUCCESSFUL

11. THE CHALLENGE... 2 WHO SETS THE R&D AGENDA? FUNDING OF R&D Regional pooling of funds? Prizes? A Global Fund? OWNERSHIP OF INNOVATION Pooling? Open source

12. THE CHALLENGE... 3 TRANSLATING INNOVATION TO HEALTH PRODUCTS Capacity building Technology transfer ACCESS TO HEALTH PRODUCTS Benchmark are the poor and NOT profits!

13. ACTION NOW IS THE TIME FOR “LOW HANGING RIPE” FRUITS! TRIPS FLEXIBILITIES – TO THE FULLEST EXTENT OF THE LAW TIME FOR R&D TREATY? IT IS TIME FOR MORE POSITIVE ACTION AND LESS TALK IT IS TIME FOR PUBLIC GOOD TO BE PARAMOUNT!

14. “There are people in the world so hungry, that God cannot appear to them except in the form of bread” Mahatma Gandhi