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In this regular feature on Breakthroughs, we highlight some of the most interesting reads in global health research from the past week. While polio has continued on a path toward global eradication, there have still been many substantial obstacles. The most recent challenge has been the number of cases of polio reported due to the oral polio vaccine. The vaccine, containing a weakened form of the live virus, caused just over 20 cases of polio in 2017—more than the to-date cases of wild polio. Polio is considered a “smart” virus with the capability of mutating and regaining strength rapidly, causing more problems for areas of the world that rely on the live, oral polio vaccine. Even with the problems surrounding the live polio vaccine, the vaccine has saved hundreds of thousands of lives and is credited with driving down infection rates to near-zero. Once the majority of the population is vaccinated and cases of all polio infections level off, public health professionals can begin to taper off using the vaccine to ensure continued eradication. Pandemics are among the most likely uninsured risks to occur, risk modelers have argued. A moderately severe pandemic event could cost upward of US$750 billion and affect tens of countries across the globe. To combat this financial risk, the World Health Organization (WHO) launched a pandemic bond program to prevent this risk. The bond program—called the Pandemic Emergency Financing Facility (PEFT)—would provide substantial funds to any country affected by a pandemic, and the turnover of the funds would be quick. If a program like PEFT existed during the 2014 Ebola pandemic, millions of dollars and thousandsof lives could have been saved. Instead, countries like Liberia and Sierra Leone struggled to come up with the funds to cover the various expenses associated with pandemics. Investors are already keen on buying into the bond program, suggesting it will be successful in the long-term effort to curb the disastrous effects of a moderately severe pandemic.  A generic version of a popular HIV antiretroviral drug recently launched in Kenya, making it the first country to debut an affordable HIV treatment. The drug launch is a part of a larger Optimal ARV Project, with the goal to increase access to treatment in areas of the world affected by HIV and AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis. The antiretroviral is one that is most commonly used around the world, including the United States, with quick, positive results and minimal side-effects. While the daily regimen of taking antiretroviral drugs is still a tedious and essential set of tasks, the generic version offers poor individuals in remote-access areas the ability to use the drug with increased frequency, achieving better results, and driving down incidences of HIV.  

Today, 33 leading global health organisations and members of national parliaments have issued an open letter to G20 heads of state, calling for them to increase the prioritization of health by the G20, and establish the G20 as a permanent global health policy forum. The letter calls for heads of state to continue the strong focus on research and development (R&D) to address critical challenges like emerging and drug-resistant infectious diseases. The signatories also encourage G20 leaders to include the conclusions of the inaugural Health Minister’s declaration in next week’s declaration of the G20 Heads of State Communique in Hamburg. Given the growing risk to humanity the letter urges leaders to increase financial and political support for global health R&D, and to encourage private sector and philanthropic organisations to accelerate addressing anti-microbial resistance, pandemic preparedness and poverty related neglected diseases.   “I fully endorse the G20 Leaders’ decision to place Global Health Innovation on the G20 agenda. We must prioritise AMR R&D in key pathogens –such as HIV, TB, Malaria, and NTDs–moving forward.”– Jeremy Lefroy MP, UK Member of Parliament, Chair of the Parliamentary Network on the World Bank and International Monetary Fund “The G20 gives developing countries more power and coordination in managing the global economy. We welcome their decision to place Global Health Innovation and critical issues like antimicrobial resistance in malaria, TB and HIV on the agenda. In doing so, the G20 is making a powerful statement that they intend to address the full range of issues that affect world economies – a critical step forward for global health and wealth.” – David Reddy, CEO MMV   “At a time when global health challenges—like antimicrobial resistance and emerging infectious diseases—are on the rise, it is critical that G20 nations join together to make sure we have the vaccines, medicines, and other tools in hand to address current as well as future health crises.”– Jamie Bay Nishi, Director, Global Health Technologies Coalition “The medical technology industry is committed to the fight against AMR, which is a global public health issue in need of global leadership. MedTech Europe would welcome G20 support in the uptake of medical technologies that have a great potential to prevent the misuse and overuse of antibiotics throughout the patient pathway.” – MedTech Europe Chancellor Angela Merkel has put global health at the heart of her government’s G20 Presidency. This momentum must be built on, with the G20 becoming a permanent forum for ministerial dialogue and action on global health policy, starting with next year’s Argentinian presidency. ### Notes to Editor:   Further information about Global Health Innovation Event: The “Research for Impact and the G20: How can global health innovation drive sustainable development?” roundtable event, held on Friday, April 28th 2017, at the Quadriga Forum in Berlin, Germany was organized by Sovereign Strategy and co-hosted with the following organizations: the Global Alliance for TB Drug Development (TB Alliance), Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV), the Sabin Vaccine Institute, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), PATH (Program for Appropriate Technology in Health), the Global Health Technologies Coalition (GHTC), the Global Health Innovative Technology (GHIT) Fund, UNITAID, and CARB-X. The one-day roundtable event involved opening and closing speeches, two sessions of moderated roundtable discussions, presentations on the G20 priority foci of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) and pandemic preparedness, the B20 and its health initiative as well as the current project, its “Call to Action” (CTA) output document, and discussions on how to carry it forward. The stated objective was to create a platform for cooperation and policy advocacy for an open and unique coalition of organizations following the declaration of the G20 Health Ministers and leading up to the G20 Hamburg Summit. The roundtable discussions are summarized in the Rapporteur’s Report. Over 100 public and private health stakeholders backed four recommendations agreed the roundtable in a “Call to Action”, published ahead of the G20 Health Ministers summit.