This morning a draft Resolution proposed by the Delegations of Canada, Chile, Iran (Islamic Republic), Japan, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Norway and Switzerland was distributed to the 62nd WHA as document A62/A/Conf.Paper No.4
If approved in its current form, the resolution will conclude the Plan of Action with the stakeholders, time frames and progress indicators proposed by the documents distributed by the WHO PHI secretariat this week.
Yesterday we reported on the Open Letter that 7 non governmental organizations sent to WHO Member States expressing their concerns on the current progress indicators and the fact that WHO has been removed as stakeholder in action 2.3.(c).
WHO Member States reached a historical consensus on action 2.3(c) last year during the 2008 World Heath Assembly. The action “encourages further exploratory discussions in the utility of possible instruments or mechanisms for essential health and biomedical R&D, including inter alia, an essential health and biomedical R&D treaty.”
For many, including us, the possibility for Member States to start discussions on global R&D norms and the possible elements of an R&D treaty, with WHO involvement, is a central component of the Global Strategy and Plan of Action on Public Health, Innovation and Intellectual Property.
Many fear that if the WHO is removed as an implementing stakeholder on action item 2.3(c), WHO would not have the capacity to be the forum for interested governments to start these important and urgent discussions.
As the letter sent by 7 NGO this week on the topic stated: There is a clear need for a discussion on what global norms for biomedical research and development are necessary. The WHO is the UN agency with the global mandate for health. It unacceptable that there would be any opposition to the WHO having a role in taking forward discussions on what global norms should be contained in a proposal for a biomedical R&D treaty.
TEXT of Draft Resolution
DRAFT Resolution on Global Strategy and Plan of Action on Public Health, Innovation and Intellectual Property
The Sixty-second World Health Assembly,
Recalling resolution WHA 61.21 on the Global Strategy and Plan of Action on public health, innovation and intellectual property, and noting the information provided by the Secretariat (footnote: Documents A62.16, A62.16 Add.1, A6.16 Add.2 and A62.16 Add.3)
1. Decides
1) to incorporate into the plan of action the additional agreed stakeholders as outlined in document A62.16 Add.3
2) to incorporate into the plan of action the updated time frames outlined in document A62.16 Add.1
2. Accordingly ADOPTS the final plan of action in respect of specific actions, stakeholders and time frames.
3. NOTES the estimated funding needs related to the plan of action as outlined in document A62.16 Add.1.
4. ACCEPTS the proposed progress indicators as outlined in document A62.16Add.2 as the basis for regular reporting to the Health Assembly on performance and overall progress made over a two-year reporting period.