Key findings from a new report by R4D’s Center for Global Health R&D Policy Assessment were presented for the first time on May 25, at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation PDP Forum “Partnering for Impact” in Bellevue, WA. You can read an interview with Managing Director, Rob Hecht, about the PDP Forum at the Center for Global Health R&D Policy Assessment blog here.
The report, “Pooled Funds to Fight Neglected Diseases: Assessing New Models to Finance Global Health R&D,” explores whether pooling donor resources for global health R&D could result in more or better funding to accelerate the development of drugs, vaccines and diagnostics most needed in the developing world.
The assessment examines three closely related proposals: the Product Development Partnership-Financing Facility (PDP-FF) put forward by the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI), the Industry R&D Facilitation Fund (IRFF) originally proposed by the George Institute, and the Fund for Research in Neglected Diseases (FRIND) championed by Novartis. In addition to considering whether these mechanisms can increase availability and impact of funding, the report identifies the strongest tenets of each proposal and discusses how they can be further developed.
The brief containing the assessment’s main findings is available along with the full-length technical background report here.
Since the release of this report, Novartis has submitted a revised proposal for FRIND to the WHO Consultative Expert Working Group on R&D Financing (CEWG). The revised proposal reflects recommendations put forward in this assessment including narrowing the fund's scope to supporting clinical trials and focusing on attracting new donors to global health R&D.
The Center for Global Health R&D Policy Assessment’s goal is to expand and improve the information used by governments, philanthropists and private investors in making decisions on new ways to accelerate global health research and development. To learn more about our work visit http://