In May 2014, the 67th World Health Assembly passed decision WHA67(15) which set the wheels in motion for the creation of a new pooled funding mechanism for R&D. The mandate for this pooled funding mechanism states:
The Sixty-seventh World Health Assembly, having considered the follow-up of the report of the Consultative Expert Working Group on Research and Development Financing and Coordination,…
(4) noted, without prejudice to future discussions in the context of recommendations of the Consultative Expert Working Group on Research and Development Financing and Coordination and actions on other sustainable mechanisms for financing health research and development, the assessment made by the Secretariat and the possibility of using an existing mechanism to host a pooled fund for voluntary contributions towards research and development for type III and II diseases and the specific research and development needs of developing countries in relation to type I diseases;
(5) requested the Director-General to further explore this option with the UNICEF/UNDP/World Bank/WHO Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases recognizing the following:
– that the scope of the diseases should not be limited to type III diseases but should be in line with the mandate of the global strategy and plan of action on public health, innovation and intellectual property;
– the need for a sustainable financial mechanism for health research and development;
– the role of Member States in the governance of the coordination mechanism;
The Joint Coordination Board (JCB), the top governing body of the Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR) held its annual meeting in Geneva from 23 June 2014 to 25 June 2014.
In its media note, TDR stated the following outcome from the JCB,
The World Health Organization’s financing and coordination mechanism from the Consultative Expert Working Group on Research and Development (CEWG) was also discussed. TDR has been identified as the best option for managing this by utilizing its technical expertise and extensive R&D networks. Four demonstration projects have already been identified through the WHO-led process. Overall governance of such a scheme would be through the Joint Coordinating Board of TDR. See earlier news on this here. The board strongly supported the concept and the continuation of discussions with WHO through its established sub-committee.
It remains to be seen how WHO and TDR implement the mandate in Decision WHA67(15) to create a “sustainable financial mechanism for health research and development” including a voluntary pooled fund in line with the mandate of the global strategy and plan of action on public health, innovation and intellectual property.