News: Announcement

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and Pfizer today announced that they have joined the first Advance Market Commitment (AMC), a unique funding effort to bring pneumococcal vaccines to millions of children worldwide. The Global Health Technologies Coalition (GHTC) commends increased involvement in the AMC and calls on the United States to participate in innovative health financing mechanisms, including a future AMC, to maximize the life-saving potential of immunizations worldwide. The first AMC was launched by the GAVI Alliance, the World Bank, the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and five national governments in June 2009. The introduction of a pneumococcal vaccine through the AMC is projected to prevent an estimated 900,000 deaths by 2015 and more than seven million deaths by 2030. In addition, the long-term price of a vaccine will be lowered from more than US$70 per dose to $3.50 under the AMC. "Today’s landmark announcement promises to make new vaccines available affordably, where they are urgently needed, and faster than ever before. Through this AMC, and thanks to the political will demonstrated by donors and least developed nations and the participation of the pharmaceutical companies, prevention against the world’s biggest childhood killer is now within reach,” said GAVI Alliance CEO Dr. Julian Lob-Levyt. These benefits underscore why the United States should consider engaging with future AMCs. The vaccine research pipeline is more promising than ever, with late-stage trials beginning on vaccines for diseases ranging from meningitis to malaria. It is crucial that this promising pipeline receives support from a wide range of partners to ensure success. US engagement in efforts to stimulate the development and delivery of immunizations is crucial to sustaining and building on this momentum. The Lantos-Hyde Act of 2008 directs the United States to invest in a future AMC, and the GHTC strongly urges policymakers to begin exploring how to engage in future AMC opportunities. "As these new partnerships demonstrate, the pharmaceutical industry and other global health stakeholders are increasingly recognizing the AMC's role in spurring the development and delivery of vaccines for the developing world," said R. Gordon Douglas, Jr., MD, Executive Chairman of the Aeras Global TB Vaccine Foundation. "US support for AMCs would guarantee that recent successes in creating vaccines are sustained and extended going forward, saving the lives of even more children in the developing world." Read the GAVI Alliance press release on the organization's website.

The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) today released the final report of its Commission on Smart Global Health Policy, providing recommendations for US policymakers on creating a long-term and strategic approach to global health. The bi-partisan commission includes several influential global health experts, including Dr. Helene Gayle, President and CEO of CARE; Admiral William J. Fallon (retired); former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.); Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine); and former UNAIDS Head Dr. Peter Piot. The Global Health Technologies Coalition (GHTC) applauds the commission's inclusion of research and innovative financing among its recommendations for strengthening US global health programs, developing new products, and bolstering health systems overseas. The report highlights how the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for the first time has made global health one of its top priorities, priming the agency to utilize US science and research strengths to benefit global health. As stated in the report, NIH's leadership in particular could be utilized even more to develop new products such as vaccines and drugs. The report also calls on the United States to integrate its vast scientific and research resources with the nation's overall global health strategy to bolster field programs and health systems worldwide. In addition, the report illustrates the vital role of incentives and innovative financing in advancing the development of new global health products such as vaccines, drugs, diagnostics, and other devices. Specifically, the commission recommends that the United States re-examine its capability to engage in an Advance Market Commitment (AMC) and the International Financing Facility (IFF). Both mechanisms identify new ways of raising and allocating funds to stimulate and accelerate global health R&D and ensure access to global health tools, and US involvement is key to their success. "The report from the CSIS Commission on Smart Global Health Policy highlights how crucial research and innovation for new global health products are to overall US global health efforts," said Dr. Christopher Elias, president and CEO of PATH. PATH is a member of the GHTC, and Dr. Elias served as a member of the Smart Global Health Policy Commission. "It also illustrates how innovative financing mechanisms, such as an AMC and the IFF, play vital roles in spurring the development of new vaccines, drugs, and other tools that save lives worldwide. US policymakers should implement these recommendations to maximize the country's efforts to improve health around the world." The report, A Healthier, Safer and More Prosperous World, is available on the Commission for Smart Global Health Policy website.

President Obama's fiscal year 2011 budget proposal clearly demonstrates that the White House is committed to research and development (R&D) and global health issues by increasing funding for several key US agencies. The Global Health Technologies Coalition (GHTC) applauds this commitment to innovation and urges the Obama administration to continue to bolster and integrate its investment in R&D. President Obama's budget proposal would allocate nearly $32 billion for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which lists global health as one of its priorities for FY 2011. In addition, the Department of State, including the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), would receive approximately $8.5 billion in global health funding under the president's proposal. All three agencies would receive funding increases under the president’s proposal compared with FY 2010. These agencies play crucial roles in global health R&D, and portions of each of their budgets are used for such research. “Developing new tools and encouraging innovation are crucial to ensuring that people in the developing world have access to the drugs, vaccines, diagnostics, and other tools they need to survive,” said Mitchell Warren, executive director of the AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition, a GHTC member organization . “In the current economic downturn, President Obama’s budgetary increases for these agencies and global health efforts overall show how committed this Administration is to addressing today’s most pressing global health needs and preparing to meet tomorrow’s challenges.” The R&D work carried out by NIH and USAID is key to meeting broader US global health goals. NIH is the leading US government agency for biomedical research support and operations, while USAID catalyzes the development of innovative health products in the developing world and connects potential partners. New tools can help advance overall US global health priorities by improving the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of the diseases that affect vulnerable populations worldwide. Although increasing the budget for key agencies is an important first step, R&D funding still falls short of a target of 3 percent of US gross domestic product, which President Obama set in April 2009 during a speech to the National Academy of Sciences. More can be done by the US government to advance these new tools, and the GHTC strongly urges the Administration to boost the importance of innovation surrounding new health tools and products through the FY 2011 budget. “R&D for new tools and technologies is at a crucial crossroads, as so much progress has been made on new vaccines, drugs, diagnostics, and other tools,” said Jana Armstrong, executive director of the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative North America, a GHTC member. “Despite this tremendous progress, further scientific advances will be critical to a comprehensive global health response. The United States should boost its commitment to the innovation that will ultimately save lives worldwide.”

The Global Health Technologies Coalition (GHTC), a group of more than 30 nonprofit organizations dedicated to increasing US support and funding for global health research and development (R&D), commends the release of the 2009 Global Funding of Innovation for Neglected Disease (G-FINDER) survey created by the George Institute for International Health. The G-FINDER is the only annual global survey of public and private investments into R&D for neglected diseases. According to the survey, the US Government is the single largest investor in global health R&D, providing $1.3 billion for neglected diseases R&D in 2008, a nominal increase over 2007 funding levels. Two organizations, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, accounted for nearly 60 percent of total funding worldwide. Countries like India and Brazil, now among the top five government funders of global health R&D, are playing an increasingly large role as investors, and are taking the lead on diseases such as leprosy and dengue fever. The report highlights the critical role the United States has played in advancing new health technologies as well as the need for sustained and increased funding for research. As a result of investment in global health R&D, Americans and millions of people worldwide no longer live in fear of diseases such as polio and measles, and new technologies are saving children from life-threatening illnesses, such as diarrheal disease. Existing tools to combat global health diseases such as antiretroviral drugs for HIV/AIDS and bed nets for malaria have made tremendous progress in the fight against disease, but more is needed to stop the spread of life-threatening illnesses,” said Dr. Christopher Elias, president and CEO of PATH, an international nonprofit organization and secretariat of the GHTC. “We need new vaccines, tests, drugs, and other health tools that can prevent, diagnose, and treat diseases and address existing and emerging global health threats.” The GHTC applauds the report’s call for stronger investment in global health R&D by high-income countries. Although the United States has long been a global leader in fostering innovation to improve the lives of others around the world, AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and other neglected diseases continue to exact a high toll in developing countries. Every day, more than 35,000 people die from these illnesses. The GHTC works with policymakers to highlight actions that the US Government can take in order to further address these persisting issues, including: Increase R&D funding for US government agencies that help to fight global infectious diseases, including the NIH, United States Agency for International Development, Centers for Disease Control, Department of Defense, and the Food and Drug Administration. Increase private industry engagement in global health R&D through market incentives and innovative financing. Strengthen cooperative international efforts to review and approve new vaccines, drugs, tests, and other health tools to ensure safe and effective global health solutions are available when they are needed. "History has shown that investing in global health research not only saves lives, but also produces cost savings and efficiencies,” said Dr. Mary Moran, Director of Health Policy at the George Institute and developer of the G-FINDER survey. “To meet the global health needs of tomorrow, it is critical to invest in research today so that the most effective health solutions are available when we need them.”