News: Announcement

The Global Health Technologies Coalition (GHTC) welcomes yesterday’s G20 Health Ministers’ Declaration, as well as their Declaration on Climate Change, Health and Equity, and on One Health, which elevates the importance of investments in new tools and technologies to fight infectious diseases—work that can be broadly beneficial in confronting a wide range of health threats.It was encouraging to see G20 leaders offer such strong support to the Pandemic Fund, the intergovernmental negotiating body process on a pandemic accord, and the International Health Regulations amendments made earlier this year.   GHTC strongly supports the establishment of a Coalition for Local and Regional Production, Innovation and Equitable Access centered on voluntary cooperation to promote access to vaccines, therapeutics, diagnostics, and other health technologies for neglected and infectious diseases. We are pleased to see that the health ministerial declaration explicitly highlights the need for this coalition to promote synergies with existing and potential future initiatives and to work with a wide range of stakeholders. We appreciate that there are specific callouts supporting the efforts of several of our members and partners, including the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations; Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and its African Vaccine Manufacturing Accelerator initiative; the Regionalized Vaccine Manufacturing Collaborative; the Pandemic Fund; PATH; Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative; Stop TB; Global Fund; UNITAID; and Medicines Patent Pool.   While the creation of the coalition is an encouraging step forward, we urge G20 nations to consider additional ways to strengthen local research capacity, including through support for research and development (R&D) hubs, distributed manufacturing, and clinical trial infrastructure in low- and middle-income countries. We also would have liked to see a stronger emphasis on equity throughout the health ministerial declaration—not just in some sections—emphasizing the urgency to address the specific needs of women, children, and other underserved populations.   Beyond placing a strong focus on local production, the Brazilian G20 presidency also elevated the linkages between climate, health, and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) this year. It was encouraging to see the health equity and climate change declaration call on G20 nations to encourage and promote health R&D and stronger, more transparent partnerships between the public and the private sectors, as well as academia, affected communities, and the scientific community.   We also welcome the continued support highlighted in the health equity and climate change declaration for initiatives such as the Global AMR R&D Hub, the Combating Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria Biopharmaceutical Accelerator, the Global Antibiotic Research and Development Partnership, and the International Centre for Antimicrobial Resistance Solutions. Furthermore, we appreciate the declaration’s continued support for regional organizations that guide research, development, and strategies to accelerate new AMR health technologies and alternatives to the use of antimicrobials, promote equitable access and global stewardship, and maximize public investment returns. We are pleased that the declaration also emphasizes the importance of promoting equitable access to new tools, including through programs like the World Health Organization AWaRe classification of antibiotics.   We applaud G20 leaders for underscoring the linkages between AMR and the ongoing malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS epidemics, stressing the need to break down silos. However, it is disappointing to see no commitments or robust support for the financing of AMR, whether through push-pull incentive models or other specific initiatives.   As always, we urge G20 members to work with civil society to push for the successful implementation of these key principles, pledges, and initiatives, and we hope that all relevant stakeholders will work diligently toward increasing access to health technologies.

The Global Health Technologies Coalition (GHTC) announced today the appointment of two returning individuals and one new individual elected by the GHTC membership to serve on the coalition’s steering committee for the next three years.   Rachel Cohen, Senior Advisor for Global Policy Advocacy & Access at the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative, and Elizabeth Lovinger, US and Global Health Policy Director at the Treatment Action Group, will continue serving on the steering committee following their reelection, and Jennifer Maple, Associate Director of Advocacy at IAVI, will newly join the coalition’s governance body following her election to the remaining open committee seat. Additionally, Jenny Blair, Director of US Partnerships at PATH, was recently appointed to hold the ex officio seat designated for PATH, which serves as GHTC’s secretariat organization.“As GHTC sharpens our focus on advancing policies to accelerate global health innovation and prepares for the next US administration and Congress, we’re delighted to welcome our new and returning steering committee members, who bring a wealth of advocacy and partnership experience to support the coalition in deepening our impact,” said GHTC Executive Director Dr. Kristie Mikus. More information about GHTC’s new and returning committee members is provided below: Rachel Cohen Rachel Cohen serves currently as Senior Advisor for Global Policy Advocacy & Access, after having previously served for 12 years as Executive Director of the North America office, at the Drugs for Neglected Disease initiative, an international nonprofit developing safe, effective, and affordable treatments for neglected patients around the world. Rachel has more than 30 years of experience in the global health and humanitarian field having held previous roles at Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières, Housing Works, and the U.S.+Cuba Medical Project. She has served on the GHTC steering committee since its establishment in 2011. Elizabeth Lovinger Elizabeth (Lizzy) Lovinger is the US and Global Health Policy Director for Treatment Action Group, an independent, activist, and community-based research and policy think tank fighting for better treatment, prevention, a vaccine, and a cure for HIV, tuberculosis, and hepatitis C virus. Previously, she was manager of community health promotion at the New York City Health Department, where she focused on LGBTQ+ outreach efforts, and, before that, she worked at Gay Men’s Health Crisis, where she advocated for an end to HIV criminalization and better HIV prevention in prisons. Lizzy has served on the GHTC steering committee since 2021. Jennifer Maple Jennifer (Jenni) Maple serves as Associate Director of Advocacy at IAVI, a nonprofit scientific research organization dedicated to addressing urgent, unmet global health challenges, including HIV, tuberculosis, and emerging infectious diseases. In this role, she leads IAVI’s advocacy and government relations for North America and Japan and manages key relationships with policymakers, donors, advocacy partners, and coalitions. Prior to joining IAVI, Jenni coordinated a youth HIV/AIDS program in southern Uganda. Jenny Blair Jenny Blair is the Director of US Partnerships at PATH, a global nonprofit organization dedicated to achieving health equity worldwide. In her current role, she manages PATH’s engagement and relationships with the US government and key US-based partners. As part of this role, Jenny also leads PATH’s US policy team, working to leverage PATH’s expertise to influence US global health policy. Before joining PATH, Jenny worked for the US House of Representatives and the International Justice Mission. These newly elected and appointed members will be joining other current GHTC steering committee members who are on alternate three-year term cycles, including Jodie Curtis, Washington representative for the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene; John Meade Jr., Senior Program Manager of Policy at AVAC; and Fara Ndiaye, Deputy Executive Director of Speak Up Africa. Full biographies of all GHTC steering committee members can be found on GHTC’s website. 

WASHINGTON, DC – Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) introduced the Supporting Innovative Global Health Technologies (SIGHT) Act of 2024. The bill would empower the US Agency for International Development (USAID) to boost its research and development (R&D) capabilities for health care technologies in low- and middle-income countries abroad. This bill, S.5278, is a companion bill to H.R.6424, which was introduced in the House of Representatives last November by Representatives Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), María Elvira Salazar (FL-27), and Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06)."We applaud Senator Booker for his leadership in advancing next-generation health innovations that are critical for tackling both known and emerging global health challenges by expanding the global health R&D ecosystem within the US government," said Dr. Kristie Mikus, Executive Director of the Global Health Technologies Coalition (GHTC), which represents 49 nonprofit organizations, academic institutions, and aligned businesses dedicated to advancing life-saving innovations globally. "With its extensive presence in low- and middle-income countries and its strong track record of fostering public-private partnerships, USAID is uniquely positioned to drive groundbreaking health innovation. It is encouraging to see congressional leaders in both the House and Senate recognize USAID's potential to embrace new disease-agnostic program areas that will complement the ongoing USAID R&D partnerships that have already been instrumental in saving millions of lives around the world."

The Global Health Technologies Coalitions (GHTC) welcomes the political declaration approved today by the United Nations (UN) High-Level Meeting on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) and applauds its commitments to promote the research and development (R&D) of and equitable access to antimicrobials, vaccines, diagnostics, and other products. GHTC especially appreciates the inclusion of concrete targets, such as the goal to reduce AMR deaths by 10 percent by 2030, the commitment to raise $100 million to support the implementation of national action plans against AMR, and support for important new mechanisms like the independent panel for evidence for action against AMR, which will help guide country action and provide both technical support and accountability. GHTC also commends the text’s robust R&D language, which includes many provisions for which GHTC has advocated, such as recognition of the need for stronger local and regional manufacturing capacities and the importance of public-private partnerships (including explicit mentions of our members the Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Biopharmaceutical Accelerator and the Global Antibiotic Research & Development Partnership), and calls for stronger regional coordination of the licensing and registration of medical products and the use of push and pull incentives.   While GHTC welcomes the strong R&D focus in the political declaration, we believe that there should have been measurable research targets included as well, which would have facilitated better progress tracking and accountability among national governments. We also note with some concern the lack of follow-up outlined in the text, with the next High-Level Meeting on AMR to be held in 2029, providing insufficient time to course correct if inadequate progress has been made.   This political declaration is a laudable step forward, but the true test will be in the implementation of these commitments, as the next few months now become about setting up the right systems and structures to turn principles into action and ensure that this agenda is advanced in other multilateral forums like the G20.   “Antimicrobial resistance poses one of the most pressing threats to global health, and the High-Level Meeting on AMR and its political declaration represent a pivotal moment in our collective response,” said GHTC Executive Director Dr. Kristie Mikus. “We applaud the political declaration’s commitment to promote and invest in R&D in the AMR space, especially in low- and middle-income countries, and to push for a stronger innovation ecosystem for new technologies. As we continue to experience the rising tide of drug-resistant infections and emerging infectious threats, innovation will be more essential than ever before to promote the production of effective, affordable, and accessible health technologies on a global scale.”