Groups Seek to Develop Medicine Innovation Model Based on Health Needs, Not Profits

Under the current market-driven innovation model, medicines are considered consumer goods and patients—the consumers—are expected to pay high prices for drugs to recoup corporate investments. In the highly profitable pharmaceutical business model, most research and development (R&D) efforts focus primarily on the health needs of the affluent, ignoring less profitable health needs, such as treating children living with HIV, tackling poverty-related and tropical diseases, coping with co-infections, or ensuring that treatments are optimized for use in resource-poor settings.

In many countries, it is considered a public responsibility to marshal science and technology to address people’s heath needs. Achieving this goal necessitates a rethinking of the current incentives structure that governs pharmaceutical R&D, especially patent monopolies. Some governments have started to explore different routes of innovation to overcome the limitations of the current profit-driven corporate model, but efforts are still fragmented.

On December 13-15, the Access to Essential Medicines Initiative held a seminar in Cape Town, South Africa, that focused on rethinking and redefining the health innovation model for resource-poor countries. The seminar brought together activists, researchers, and R&D policy experts from various countries at the forefront of these changes, including Brazil, Colombia, India, China, Thailand, Vietnam, Kenya, South Africa, and Burkina Faso. The seminar allowed participants to exchange ideas and strategize on how their countries can become leaders in promoting R&D models based on health needs rather than profits. The seminar also sought to define ways for civil society to contribute to these efforts and spearhead a stronger movement for a needs-driven approach.

More information about the seminar and access to materials from the sessions, including the participants list, agenda, and a photo gallery can be found on the Open Society Public Health Program Seminar Series website.