Access and Innovation for Health: Regional Platform

The current working model for the implementation of the Global Strategy and Plan of Action on Public Health, Innovation and Intellectual Property (GSPOA) and the Regional Perspective, considers three core elements under which technical cooperation activities are organized:

1. Access

• Develop strategies to improve access to medicines and health technologies, and establish links with innovative processes

2. Technological Innovation

• Strengthen national and sub-regional processes to promote health research and innovation as a strategic component in health policy and systems

3. Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) management from a Public Health Perspective

• Strengthen capacities and policies to manage intellectual property from a public health perspective

A comprehensive technical cooperation strategy should contemplate ways to bridge these diverse, but interrelated, areas of work. In order to ensure the most efficient use of resources, PAHO should facilitate the interaction of stakeholders and activities. To this end, and in accordance to the CD 48/18, HHS/MT has been actively working on the development of a Regional Platform for Access and Innovation for Health.

This platform will bring together regional and international stakeholders and facilitate networks that can contribute to promote access and innovation for health. The goal is to create a platform that will support and promote Innovation, Access, Rational Use and good governance in the area of essential medicines and other health technologies from a public health perspective and that will serve Regional health priorities.

Member countries will play the central role in the proposed governance structure and will be joined by PAHO and other relevant actors. HHS/MT has presented the working proposal both internally and in a series of consultation meetings to national health authorities and potential partners at national, regional and international levels. The platform has garnered overwhelmingly positive responses, and stakeholders from research institutions, ministries of health, science and technology authorities, and the manufacturing sector have shown interest in participating in the platform’s development.

Goal:

To create a platform composed of a series of internet-based tools that will support and promote innovation, access, rational use and good governance in the area of essential medicines and other health technologies with a public health perspective and that will serve Regional health priorities.

Scope of the Platform: The overall scope of the platform is aligned with the priorities specified in the Health Agenda for the Americas and articulated in PAHO’s Strategic Plan 2008-2012 and Resolution CD48/18. In particular, the platform covers the following topics:

• Access to Essential Medicines, Biologicals, and Diagnostics
• Intellectual Property Management and Public Health
• Research, Development, and Technological Innovation for Health
• Rational Use of Essential Medicines and Health Technologies Assessments (HTA)
• Pharmaceutical and Health Technologies Policies and Regulations