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GHTC held a Game changers in global health game night on Capitol Hill to educate Congressional staffers about the impact of US leadership in global health research and development (R&D). Our guests ate, drank, played games, and learned how US investments in global health R&D not only saves lives around the world, but also generates benefits here at home in the United States. Here are some of our favorite photos from the night: Playing "ROI: Return on Innovation" claw game to see the impressive return generated by US investments in global health R&D. These investments save lives around the world, spur US economic growth, generate cost savings, and protect Americans from disease threats.  Pulling a block from the "Agency Jenga" game to learn a fun fact about the important and unique contributions made by each US government agency involved in global health R&D. Playing "Heads Up: Puzzling Pathogens" to test whether their neglected disease knowledge is heads above the rest. In the battle to outsmart infectious diseases, pathogens may puzzle us, but R&D is the best resource we have to knock out dangerous diseases. Testing her global health research knowledge to determine whether an innovation described is a "Trick or Treatment?" We still don't have the tools needed to combat many global health challenges, but every day brings new, exciting breakthoughs. Some seem simple but others seem like science fiction. Players try to determine whether tools described are on the market or make believe. A guest spins the "Wheel of Progress" to receive a trivia question about a US agency involved in global health R&D. GHTC Director Jamie Bay Nishi talks about GHTC's mission and the critical role of global health R&D in addressing the world's most pressing health challenges. Playing "Striking out Disease" bowling to experience how changing funding levels for global health R&D impacts our ability to strike out the world's deadliest diseases. This player experienced a funding increase and was able to bowl with our jumbo ball. Playing "Race for a Cure" to learn about the global health R&D process. It takes an average of 12-15 years to develop a vaccine. This player is racing to see if she can get her vaccine through all the stages of the product development process before the clock runs out. Developing treatments, cures, and vaccines for the world’s most devastating diseases is not easy. Many challenges arise along the path from scientific discovery to lifesaving technology. A staffer from USAID shows off the agency's improved Ebola personal protective suit designed as part of the agency's Ebola Grand Challenge. Attendees visit the "Gallery of Game Changers" booth to see, touch, and taste how American investment is generating game-changing global health technologies. Guests chat with Dr. Marston, Prinicpal Deputy Director for CDC Center for Global Health's Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria to learn about the agency's work in global health research. A staffer talks with a scientist from the Naval Medical Research Center to learn how bateriophages could one day be used to heal wounds on the battlefield and in low-resource communities around the world. USAID staff show off innovations from the agency's grand challenges programs including the Odon device for obstructed birth, mosquito-repellent sandals to prevent Zika and other threats, and an improved Ebola personal protective suit. Staffers check out cookies made with naturally biofortified Vitamin A corn developed by GHTC member HarvestPlus as a sustainable way to combat Vitamin A deficiency worldwide. 

GHTC delivered the following statement, on the 72nd World Health Assembly (WHA) agenda item 11.7, access to vaccines and medicines, on May 6, 2019 at the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) WHA stakeholder listening session: GHTC observes that supporting access to new technologies is complex, and failures to achieve widespread access to health technologies in low-resource settings are rarely due to a single issue. Barriers to access are best overcome when approached holistically, over the long-term, addressing affordability, availability, acceptability, and sustainability. Through its roadmap, the World Health Organization (WHO) has sought to create a broad framework to address the challenges and concerns around access to medicines.We encourage the US delegation to support a comprehensive approach to addressing barriers to accessing essential health technologies. Over recent years, significant progress in addressing regulatory barriers to access has been made, and WHO intends to continue building on their work in this area. Sound regulatory support for access to medicines ensures both timely access to medicines, as well as appropriate safety guidelines and pharmacovigilance activities. Technical standards and assistance supporting systems in achieving these targets have historically been viewed as falling within WHO’s core technical mandate. We also urge the US delegation to support the expansion of the Essential Diagnostic List. Diagnostic tests are critical tools for health care, providing vital information that impacts the prevention, detection, diagnosis, treatment, management of disease, surveillance and epidemiology. We strongly support WHO’s goal of increasing access to appropriate, affordable, quality-assured and effective diagnostics in underserved regions of the world.