Innovation and intellectual property must be at the core of the next World Health Assembly organized by the WHO. Competere, along with a coalition of European think tanks, has published and sent to the Director General of the WHO, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, a letter on market incentives and intellectual property rights (IPRs).

IPRs are therefore considered very important for sustaining investment in innovation in high-tech sectors such as life and health sciences. They are
particularly important for medicines given the sector’s high upfront investment costs. Despite this, the WHO has often proved to be uneven in recognizing their relevance and reluctant in cooperating with the private sector to protect them. Weakening IPRs and innovation also affects research in the pharmaceutical sector that today is experiencing a new renaissance with more than 7000 medicines in development and 10 billion invested in private sector every year.

Health requires innovation. In light of this, we urge the WHO and its Director General to use the upcoming 71st World Health Assembly (WHA) to reaffirm a strong commitment to supporting the systems of innovation needed to improve global health.

LETTER TO THE DIRECTOR GENERAL OF WHO