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New findings offer systemic solutions to address non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in low- and middle-income countries

Today the Johns Hopkins University’s Institute for Applied Economics, Global Health and the Study of Business Enterprise released a focused set of policy briefs that provide actionable recommendations for improving NCD policy, research and, ultimately, care. The study was commissioned by the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers & Associations (IFPMA).

Private Sector Partnerships Can Transform Global Health

There's a growing and welcome awareness that the world's biggest health challenges have profound economic implications as well. This is important information for the private sector, with global business leaders gathering this week at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Global health is a key topic there because companies recognize that their competitiveness and the health of communities where they do business are mutually dependent.

Consultative expert working group on research and development: financing and coordination

IFPMA commends the CEWG for the comprehensive and important work they have conducted. The report recognizes the need to stimulate R&D into type II and III diseases where funding is underserved. Additionally, it identifies the relevance of coordination and provides a basis for discussion on increased financing into these disease areas. We congratulate the CEWG for their vision and welcome their conclusion that new models would be supplementary instruments to address challenges that cannot be fully tackled trough the current innovation paradigm.

Pharmaceutical R&D projects to discover cures for patients with neglected conditions

IFPMA recently released its 2012 status report on pharmaceutical R&D to address neglected diseases, highlighting a 40% increase from 2011 in research projects focused on NTDs. As part of the 2012 London Declaration on Neglected Diseases, the research-based pharmaceutical industry pledged continued R&D and donations of 14 billion treatments by 2020 to control or eliminate nine neglected diseases.

Economist Intelligence Unit Report Calls for Global Policy Innovation to Tackle the ‘Silent Pandemic’ that is Hepatitis C

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that approximately 150 million people globally are currently living with the blood-borne infectious disease, HCV. Of these, up to two thirds will develop chronic liver disease and one in five will develop cirrhosis. HCV is also the leading cause of liver transplantation worldwide and in the US the disease now accounts for more deaths than HIV.
A new Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) report titled The Silent Pandemic: Tackling Hepatitis C with Policy Innovation, highlights the urgent need for countries around the world to develop strategies to tackle head-on the growing social and economic issues associated with Hepatitis C (HCV).

India & clinical trials: PhRMA weighs in

Globally, over the past several decades, medical innovation has cut the death rate from cardiovascular disease in half. Medical research and innovation has turned diseases like AIDS and many cancers into manageable conditions. Medical innovation has also reduced the social and economic burden of disease. Innovation has played a major role in increasing life expectancy and has enabled healthy aging for much of the world’s population.

Fake goods may undo China-Africa trade

Trade between China and Africa has been one of the dominant issues on the table this decade. Many high-level meetings have been conducted seeking to liberalize movement of goods in these regions. The talks formed part of the wider plan for the realization of South-South trade. But underneath this "barrierless" trade regime lurks some danger: fake goods. The majority of counterfeited products entering Africa are drugs. According to the World Health Organization, around 10 percent of drug supplies in developing countries are counterfeit medicines. These have caused thousands of deaths annually.

New report signals slowdown in the fight against malaria

According to the World Malaria report 2012, 50 countries around the world are on track to reduce their malaria case incidence rates by 75% by 2015 – in line with World Health Assembly and Roll Back Malaria targets. However, these 50 countries only represent 3%, or 7 million, of the malaria cases that were estimated to have occurred in 2000, the benchmark against which progress is measured.

New report offers insights into the threats posed by falsified medicines and highlights need for better coordinated global approaches to protect public health

Geneva, 11 December 2012 - A study released today highlights opportunities for a better coordinated international response to the threat of falsified, or counterfeit, medicines. The prevention of pharmaceutical falsification should be seen as an integral part of the global health community’s effort to improve access to effective, good quality medicines and protect public health worldwide.

G-FINDER survey highlights increased industry investment in R&D for neglected diseases

The recently released fifth G-FINDER survey reports on 2011 global investment into research and development of new products for neglected diseases, and identifies trends and patterns across the five years of global G-FINDER data. In 2011, reported funding for neglected disease R&D was $3.05 billion. Both public and philanthropic funding have dropped away since the global financial crisis, but industry funding has increased dramatically over the survey period, predominantly due to increased investments from multinational pharmaceutical companies (MNCs).

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