Third meeting of the Working Group on Amendments to the International Health Regulations (2005)
On 17 April, IFPMA delivered a statement at the third meeting of the Working Group on Amendments to the International Health Regulations (2005) held from 17-20 April 2023.
The innovative pharmaceutical industry appreciates the WGIHR for providing us with an opportunity to provide our brief comments. Given the lack of time, we will focus on three key areas.
First, the core of International Health Regulations (IHR) reform should be to ensure and promote the sharing of outbreak information, including pathogen samples and sequence data, in a timely way as a critical step to help inform a coordinated global response to outbreaks and trigger R&D. Year-round, pathogen-agnostic global surveillance of all human or likely zoonotic pathogens with epidemic or pandemic potential should be strengthened to support the objectives of the IHR.
Secondly, equity in access to health products is a significant topic that must be tackled through an inclusive dialogue between all stakeholders. Via the Berlin Declaration, industry has expressed its commitment to early access by reserving an allocation of real-time production of vaccine, treatments, and diagnostics for priority populations in lower-income countries and to take measures to make them available and affordable.
Lastly, we continue to encourage close coordination between not only the IHR and INB processes, but the work from WHO on the “Health Emergency Preparedness, Response and Resilience (HEPR)” and “Medical countermeasures platform” efforts, and how all of these discussions are progressing in other multilateral fora (e.g. G7, WTO, G20 and the UN). There are complex interdependencies that should be considered and incorporated into the discussions, avoiding unnecessary overlaps and duplications.
About IFPMA
IFPMA represents the innovative pharmaceutical industry at the international level, engaging in official relations with the United Nations and multilateral organizations. Our vision is to ensure that scientific progress translates into the next generation of medicines and vaccines that deliver a healthier future for people everywhere.
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To achieve this, we act as a trusted partner, bringing our members' expertise to champion pharmaceutical innovation, drive policy that supports the research, development, and delivery of health technologies, and create sustainable solutions that advance global health.
