SIXTY-SEVENTH WORLD HEALTH ASSEMBLY Provisional agenda item 15.2
A67/28 Add.1 16 May 2014
Follow-up of the report of the Consultative Expert Working Group on Research and Development: Financing and Coordination Meetings of stakeholders for selected health research and development demonstration projects, 7–10 May 2014 1.
In January 2014, the Executive Board at its 134th session adopted decision EB134(5), in which it requested that the Director-General consider the demonstration projects in the order listed in document EB134/27 and, taking into account the additional information received, with the participation of the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Consultative Expert Working Group, and one Member State from each region, as observers, as appropriate, start convening virtual or direct meetings with stakeholders interested in funding and/or implementing the projects; with those meetings aiming to develop the project plan and mobilize the financial resources necessary for implementation of the projects. 2. On 10 March 2014, the former Chair and Vice-Chair of the Consultative Expert Working Group, facilitated by the Secretariat and observed by Member States’ representatives, identified fou r of the 7 + 1 projects shortlisted through the Global Technical Consultative Meeting of Experts held on 3–4 December 2013 as meeting the criteria set for “demonstration projects” and as being ready to move immediately towards implementation. 3. The Secretariat convened four meetings with stakeholders interested in funding and/or implementing the projects. These took place at WHO headquarters from 7 to 10 May 2014 as follows: • Wednesday, 7 May 2014: The Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL) Global R&D & Access Initiative (proponent: Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative); • Thursday, 8 May 2014: Development of Class D CpG oligodeoxynucleotides (D35) as an adjunct to chemotherapy for cutaneous leishmaniasis and post kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis (proponents: United States Food and Drug Administration, Osaka University et al.); • Friday, 9 May 2014: Exploiting the pathogen box: an international open-source collaboration to accelerate drug development in addressing diseases of poverty (proponent: Medicines for Malaria Venture); • Saturday, 10 May 2014: Development for easy to use and affordable biomarkers as diagnostics for types II and III diseases (Proponents: African Network for Drugs and Diagnostics Innovation, Chinese Network for Drugs and Diagnostics Innovation, et al.).
A67/28 Add.1
4. Participants in these stakeholder meetings included existing and potential partners and donors as identified by the proponents of the selected demonstration projects. The same representatives of Member States who had been invited to observe the 10 March 2014 meeting to identify the demonstration projects were invited to attend the stakeholders’ meetings. The proponents described their projects in detail, focusing both on the technical aspects and on the innovative aspects that seek to demonstrate the principles highlighted in the report on follow-up of the report of the CEWG. 1 An analysis (sponsored by one of the proponents) of the feasibility of pooling financial resources to support all the four projects was presented. Discussion centred on project plans in terms of next steps, resource needs and responsibilities. Participants also discussed ideas for improving implementation and mobilizing political and financial support. 5. Following a joint request from the proponents of the four health research and development demonstration projects, the Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases is opening a dedicated budget line within its Trust Fund, which will allow potential donors to provide resources for the four projects and for further development of the global health R&D Observatory. This budget line, which will facilitate implementation of the demonstration projects, will be time-limited (four years), restricted to pooled resources dedicated to the four projects and the R&D Observatory, and will host a maximum of US$ 50 million. Governance of the use of funds will be placed under the oversight of the Joint Coordinating Board of the Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases. 6. Further information on the stakeholder meetings, including concept note and agendas, project proposals, and presentations, is available on the WHO website. 2
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See document EB134/27. http://www.who.int/phi/implementation/phi_cewg_meeting/en/ (accessed 15 May 2014).
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