Joint Statement for Multi-stakeholder Hearing on UHC: Product Development Partnerships
"We face a collective challenge in ensuring that everyone—regardless where they live or their economic status—has access to the health services they need. We cannot achieve the six asks of the UHC movement—specifically quality of health care, without recognizing the need for appropriate, available, and affordable products to address the largest global health challenges including TB, HIV, malaria, neglected tropical diseases, and AMR. Our current tools—drugs, diagnostics, and vaccines are woefully inadequate or nonexistent to serve the most vulnerable patients.
Therefore, to improve quality of care for all patients, we must invest in research and product development for new and better drugs and regimens, diagnostics, and effective vaccines that are accessible to people who need them. For example, in line with the goals of the UN high level meeting on TB that occurred one year ago, we must hold governments accountable to close the $1.3 billion annual funding gap in TB R&D and invest their fair share.
Today, we ask Member States and Ministries of Health to recognize the need for public health and patient-focused research and product development and to make strong commitments to its financing in the declaration."