In 2015, the United Nations launched the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as the blueprint for peace, prosperity, and a more sustainable future for all.
Working towards 2030, the 17 ambitious goals are driving momentum in the global community toward a shared agenda.
The innovative pharmaceutical industry is contributing through our partnerships, bringing a diversity of skills and expertise to help people live longer, healthier lives.
We are working on 255 cross-sector partnerships
Our programs are collaborating with 1130 cross-sector partners
Globally, we are living longer and healthier lives than ever before. However, a vast number of people still suffer needlessly from preventable conditions, many dying prematurely. The innovative pharmaceutical industry plays a unique role in delivering better health for millions of people across the world.
We have learned that ‘health for all’ is about much more than medicine and vaccine innovation – it requires establishing strong health systems, developing public health education, and strengthening standards and regulations.
As part of the global health community, we continue to commit to...
Sharing knowledge to drive effective program execution
Collaborating to strengthen health systems
Accelerating innovation
SDG 3.8, universal health coverage (UHC) – ensuring that all individuals receive the health services they need without suffering financial hardship – is at the heart of the health-related SDGs and the foundation for improving health and well-being globally. Achieving UHC is one of the most important health challenges of our time and a core focus for us.
We believe there are three key components for UHC, which we are committed to supporting:
Health is essential for sustainable development. Through collaborative action, we have made great progress in alleviating the burden of some of the deadliest diseases across the globe. It is critical to continue to accelerate this progress while responding to emerging health challenges.
The innovative pharmaceutical industry has a direct role to play in SDG 3 by addressing persistent challenges and preventing early death and disability.
Remarkable progress has been made in reducing infant and maternal mortality over the last 30 years. There were six million fewer childhood deaths in 2016 than in 1990 1 WHO: Child mortality rates plunge by more than half since 1990 and a 44% reduction in the maternal mortality rate between 1990 and 2015 2 WHO: Maternal Mortality Fact Sheet (2018) . However, every day 16,000 children still die before their fifth birthday 3 WHO: Children: Reducing Mortality (2018) and 830 women die from pregnancy or childbirth-related complications 4 WHO: Children: Reducing Mortality (2018) .
Our collaborations support SDG 3.1 and SDG 3.2 by addressing the unique challenges women and children face in accessing healthcare in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
Breakthrough interventions, such as safe and effective vaccines, have led to remarkable progress in reducing mortality from communicable diseases over the past 50 years. However, today 20% of all deaths are still due to communicable diseases 1 WHO: 10 facts on health inequities and their causes (2017) .
In support of SDG 3.3, the innovative pharmaceutical industry aims to end these epidemics by creating global strategies and coalitions for mobilizing action against ending the AIDS epidemic, 1 UNAIDS: 90-90-90: Treatment for all (2019) coordinating TB investments, and catalyzing action across governments and partners to eradicate malaria.
NTDs affect more than 1 billion of the poorest and most marginalized people globally 4 Holmes, K., Bertozzi, S., Bloom, B., Jha, P., Gelband, H., DeMaria, L. and Horton, S. Major Infectious Diseases: Key Messages from Disease Control Priorities, Third Edition. (2019) . One in seven people suffer from an NTD 5 WHO: London Declaration on Neglected Tropical Diseases (2012) , despite often ways to prevent, diagnose, and treat these diseases are known.
Collaborations, such as the Kigali Declaration on NTDs bring together public, private and civil society actors to improve access to treatments, build capacity, and advocate for supporting policies 6 WHO: Neglected Tropical Diseases (2019) . As part of our contribution, the innovative pharmaceutical industry is working to distribute 14 billion treatments by 2020, forming the world's largest medicine donation to date.
Millions of people die prematurely each year from preventable and treatable NCDs. 85% of these premature deaths occur in LMICs, leaving communities with devastating social and economic loss 6 WHO: Noncommunicable diseases: Key facts (2018) .
One notable initiative is Access Accelerated, a unique cross-industry collaboration that seeks to reduce barriers to the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment for NCDs in LMICs.
SDG 17 is core to our approach working across sectors to develop and adopt creative solutions to improve health and well-being globally.
Partnership is crucial to deliver on progress, strengthen implementation, and develop innovative approaches.
Our collaborations are dynamic and evolving, spanning sectors, industries, geographies, and diseases.
SDG 9 is critical for economic development, social stability, and our ability to meet future challenges in health. Many less developed countries are lagging behind in their efforts to build national capacity to research and develop medicines and vaccines to support healthy populations.
We work collaboratively to support economic growth and strengthen local technological capabilities. We invest in infrastructure and capacity building, run clinical trials that help local economies to grow, and share technical expertise to develop, manufacture, register, and distribute medicines and vaccines to more people.
44 of our programs focus on R&D
33 of our programs focus on building infrastructure and developing technology
23 of our programs focus on manufacturing and strengthening supply chain
Approximately 99% of maternal deaths, 95% of deaths from TB, and 87% of premature deaths due to NCDs occur in LMICs 1 WHO: Health Inequalities . Women are the backbone of healthcare delivery and, in many countries, make up over 75% of the healthcare workforce. However, they are often concentrated in low status health occupations and are a minority among trained health professionals.
SDG 5 and SDG 10 are our opportunities to support poor, hard to reach populations, including women, marginalized and indigenous communities, and those living in remote and rural areas.
63 of our programs target women
91 of our programs included a health workforce capacity building element
36 of our programs target marginalized/indigenous populations
73 of our programs target people with low incomes
13 of our programs target rural people