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EDITORIALS: Martin McKee Global research for health BMJ 2008; 337: a2733 [Full text]

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Global research for Health

Harald M Lipman   (1 December 2008)

Managing intellectual property for health research and delivery

Tania Bubela, E. Richard Gold, Faculty of Law, McGill University   (8 December 2008)

Global research for Health 1 December 2008
Harald M Lipman, Executive Director ICHARM The Dutch House, 77a Fitzjohn's Avenue, London NW3 6NY Send response to journal: Re: Global research for Health	I have read with interest Martin McKee’s editorial “ Global research for Health” and noted the mention of lack of research capacity in many countries, including the former Soviet Union. Unquestionably, for many reasons, including lack of financial resources, as well as lack of prioritisation, this is true. However, subject to the present economic downturn, the future in Russia looks brighter. In March 2008 the Ministry of Health and Social Development of the Russian Federation, in conjunction with the State Research Centre for Preventive Medicine (SRCPM) published “Strategy for Prevention & Control of Non-communicable Disease and Injuries in the Russian Federation”. A comprehensive, and hopefully, realistic plan developed by a multidisciplinary Russian Working Group, with the collaboration of the World Bank and WHO. The strategy is presented as an overall guiding policy for the preparation and implementation of the prevention of NCDs. Specific mention is made of operational work in the field of public health based on reliable knowledge and evidence-based scientific studies. A coordinating committee is proposed, which will be guided by the SRCPM. Competing interests: Director International Cardiac Healthcare & RiskFactor Modification (ICHARM) World Bank peer reviewer Strategy document Participant WHO meeting Prioritized Research Agenda for Prevention & Control of NCD
Managing intellectual property for health research and delivery 8 December 2008
Tania Bubela, Assistant Professor, School of Public Health, University of Alberta 13-106D Clinical Sciences Building, Edmonton Canada,T6G 2G3, E. Richard Gold, Faculty of Law, McGill University Send response to journal: Re: Managing intellectual property for health research and delivery	We agree with Professor McKee (Editorial, 25 November 2008) in identifying public and private sector partnerships as being critical to producing and delivering the medicines that "will save lives" in developing countries. Professor McKee, summarising the discussions and the Call to Action of the Global Forum for Health Research held in Bamako Mali in November 2008, reiterated the conclusion of the International Expert Group on Biotechnology, Innovation and Intellectual Property in its report, Toward a New Era of Intellectual Property: From Confrontation to Negotiation (http://www.theinnovationpartnership.org/data/ieg/documents/report/TIP_Report_E.pdf), that only through partnerships will the world be able to innovate and deliver the next generation of health products that high and low income countries alike need. As Professor McKee notes, drugs are largely developed by industry, with some contributions from other sectors. As the International Expert Group noted, relationships between industry and other stakeholders are mired in distrust. What is needed is a better framework for enhancing collaborations between health innovation stakeholders in and between developed and developing countries and independent actors that support leadership building and that provide tailored advice to build trust. During a special session on intellectual property at Bamako 2008 and summarised on the TripIKA.net website, The International Expert Group, of which we are members, noted that developing countries already participate in innovation systems but lack the models, skills, networks and financing to bring these forward. Industry has an important role to play in this domain by, for example, establishing independent and non-profit Technology Assessment Organisations. Developed and developing world universities need to collaborate to build teaching programs that encourage doctoral and post -doctoral students to train in their home countries on issues relevant to those countries. In addition, independent agents are required to overcome a lack of trust and creativity that currently bogs down the development of new models to foster research collaborations and sharing of research data and materials that by necessity involve agreements on intellectual property. A sea change is underway in the way industry, universities, governments and civil society will use intellectual property in the future. Specifically, more emphasis will be placed on pre-competitive research projects where results are put into the public domain, on the creation of partnerships to deliver new technology through pools to the world's poor, and on new methods of university technology transfer . In addition, leadership building in the use and policies around intellectual property is required, not only among the research community, but in government and industry on questions of innovation and intellectual property management. This will best ensure that not only will there be greater access to existing technology but that the increasing health innovation being developed in lower income countries are put into practice for public benefit. Competing interests: None declared