GHTC applauds White House budget proposal

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.

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.”