Promoting global health: utilizing WHO to integrate public health, innovation and intellectual property.
The appropriate role of innovation and intellectual property (IP) in global public health is a controversial issue. Discussion is one-sided, with potential benefits advocated by industry in stark contrast to condemnation by certain civil society players. WHO's Public Health, Innovation and Intellectual Property Department (PHI) was established to address healthcare resource need for developing countries, assess impact of innovation and IP on access to medicines, explore innovative funding mechanisms for R&D and provide evidence-based policy-making recommendations in response to the changing global health landscape. Importantly, PHI could represent a potential forum to bridge shared, yet often diverse, interests and opportunities between various public and private stakeholders, a crucial issue for ensuring the future viability of WHO.
Institute of Health Law Studies, California Western School of Law, San Diego, CA, USA. tmackey@ucsd.edu
Tim K
TK
Mackey
Bryan A
BA
Liang
D003906:Developing Countries; D014943:Global Health / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000592:standards / Q000639:trends; D006291:Health Policy; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D018973:Intellectual Property; D009936:Organizational Innovation; D011634:Public Health / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000592:standards / Q000639:trends; D014944:World Health Organization