The FINANCIAL — As governments gather in New York this week to review the world's efforts for the achievement of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and chart the new pathway for global development beyond 2015, leaders of the research-based pharmaceutical industry call for continued dialogue and constructive engagement involving all stakeholders, according to IFPMA.
With more than 220 global partnerships addressing a wide range of diseases and focusing on prevention, improvements in health system infrastructures, training, pharmaceutical R&D, and medicine and vaccine donations, the industry plays an important role in advancing progress toward the health-related MDGs. A new publication launched today by IFPMA shows that transformative partnerships and accountability frameworks between civil society, the private sector, and governments can promote more equitable, inclusive and sustainable development.
“The United Nations calls for the 'engagement of responsible business and civil society' and recognizes the 'need to pool efforts as never before," Eduardo Pisani, IFPMA Director General, said. "While the world should not lose sight of the unfinished business in the current health-related MDGs, emerging issues such as diabetes, cancer, respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, will increasingly challenge health systems worldwide in the next fifteen years. Eighty (80) percent of deaths due to these 'non-communicable' diseases occur in low- and middle-income countries and will inevitably increase pressure to find cost-effective interventions to prevent or treat diseases. This call for action resonates strongly with the research-based pharmaceutical industry – where expanding access to healthcare and meeting unmet medical needs are at the very core of our daily operations,” he added.
"To maximize the impact of private sector action on global health goals, we need proactive, cross-sector engagement in framing the next set of development goals," said Eduardo Pisani. "The original MDGs were conceived without a clear map as to how the private sector could contribute. Pharmaceutical companies came to the fore anyway—recognizing the criticality of their unique contributions. But we know that there is no sector—not government, not civil society, not industry—that can alone drive the system-wide change that is required to address the most intractable health challenges,"he added.
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