In this week’s PLoS Medicine, a team of international experts argue that in order to improve the fairness, coherence, sustainability, and efficiency of medical research worldwide, an international treaty is required.
A research and development (R&D) treaty should be based on the understanding that a politically and financially sustainable system for producing medical research will need equal contributions from all, as well as equal benefit sharing for all, according to Suerie Moon from the Harvard Global Health Institute, Jorge Bermudez from Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, and Ellen ‘t Hoen from the University of Amsterdam.
The researchers explained:
“Medical innovation and access to the fruits of scientific progress are no longer policy concerns restricted to the national level or to wealthy countries alone. In an era of health interdependence, effective tools for global governance are required to generate medical R&D as a global public good that can deliver benefits for all.”
At present, 80% of the world’s population live in developing nations. However, the current R&D system of new medicines does not adequately meet the needs of these people.
For instance, worldwide there are new rules to make sure that innovative medicines are affordable to the majority of people who need them. In addition, funding for research and development into the diseases that primarily affect developing nations is still precarious.
This has caused a comprehensive international debate with proposals for reform, yet the researchers believe that irrespective of the numerous new strategies of generating R&D, which meets the needs of poorer populations, these efforts still remain scattered, insufficient and ad hoc.
The researchers said:
“An R&D treaty could complement and build on existing initiatives by addressing four areas that remain particularly weak: affordability, sustainable financing, efficiency, and equitable governance.
An international agreement is likely to be required to establish robust, sustainable, predictable, and sufficient financial flows for R&D.”
They continue:
“A system in which all countries contributed finances and knowledge could form the basis of more equitable governance arrangements in which affected populations have a stronger voice in decision-making.
Leaders of governments, civil society, industry, and academia should seize this unprecedented opportunity to move forward.”
Written By Grace Rattue