GHTC delivers statement on NTDs at WHO Executive Board Meeting

The following statement—from Global Health Council, supported by the Global Health Technologies Coalition—was delivered at the 146th session of the WHO Executive Board Meeting on agenda item 14: Global strategy and plan of action on public health, innovation and intellectual property. Global Health Council, supported by the Global Health Technologies Coalition, thanks the chair and distinguished delegates for this opportunity to comment on the Global strategy and plan of action on public health, innovation and intellectual property.We applaud the World Health Organization (WHO) for its work on helping member states build regulatory capacity and work to pool procurement under the Essential Medicines List, and support WHO’s efforts to address regulatory barriers which ensure timely access to affordable and quality medicines.  We hope that WHO and member states can work to better leverage innovative structures, including product development partnerships and other novel mechanisms, in securing sustainable access commitments. Such innovative approaches accelerate the development of and access to essential health technologies targeting neglected diseases. Many of these stakeholders have experience managing intellectual property, supporting affordability, strengthening local research and regulatory capacity, and managing supply chains.We call on member states to encourage more research and development on conditions affecting vulnerable populations including children, adolescents, and young people, and urge WHO to continue its efforts to expand the Essential Diagnostics List. We strongly support WHO’s goal of increasing access to appropriate, affordable, quality-assured, and effective diagnostics in underserved regions of the world.

The following statement—from Global Health Council, supported by the Infectious Diseases Society of America and the Global Health Technologies Coalition—was delivered at the 146th session of the WHO Executive Board Meeting on agenda item 10: Ending tuberculosis. Global Health Council supported by the Infectious Diseases Society of America and Global Health Technologies Coalition commends WHO and member states on accelerating efforts to meet TB elimination goals. Despite progress we are not on track to end the TB epidemic by 2030. If progress continues at the current rate, 28 million people will die by 2030 at a global economic cost of $983 billion. New investments by member states in TB R&D coupled with efficient technology assessment and evaluation of new TB products by WHO will be vital to building the arsenal of tools required to control TB.An estimated 3 million people with active TB infection continue to go undiagnosed and untreated. Countries are too often relying on old technologies, highlighting the need for investments in new drugs, vaccines and rapid molecular and point of care diagnostics, preventive therapies, and shorter, better quality treatments to ensure adherence and mitigate debilitating side effects. Growing resistance is making TB more deadly and difficult to treat. A new vaccine would be a gamechanger and is critical for addressing growing AMR by reducing the need for antibiotics. As TB is the most prevalent drug resistant infection, strengthening efforts against drug resistant TB is critical for curbing the AMR crisis.