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Research leaders: meeting the challenge

Source: TropIKA.net editorial team

Title of presentation: Research leaders: meeting the challenge

Date: 19 Nov 2008

Location: Salle Pleniere

Chair: Ariel Pablo Mendez, Managing Director, Rockefeller Foundation

Presenters:

• Paulo Buss, President, Oswald Cruz Foundation, Brazil
• Mark Feinberg, Vice President, Medical Affairs and Policy, Merck & Co. Inc. United States of America
• Daniel Jacob, Directeur Général Adjoint, Direction Générale de la Recherche, Commission Européenne Bruxelles
• Mark Walport, Director, The Wellcome Trust, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland – Presentation

TropIKA Rapporteurs: Diawara – French, Muza - English

Major topics:

• Intersectoral linkages and broader engagement with stakeholders
• Systems and innovation to transform research ideas into reality

Scope: Leadership; networking for research; capacity-building; social responsibility platforms;

Overview

The opening plenary of the final day of the conference brought together leaders from major research, pharmaceutical, funding, and multilateral organizations engaged in research for health and development. [Oswald Cruz Foundation, Merck and Co, Wellcome Trust, and the European Commission respectively). They were invited to take stock of the discussions and presentations made in the last two days and offer their views on a way forward.

Two main issues were raised, the need for human and institutional capacity building within low income countries, and the need to encourage convergence in the activities of key stakeholders including the pharmaceutical industry to address the problems of research for health.

Examples of successful networks were given by the Wellcome Trust with its Malaria Genetic Epidemiology Network and the European Commission presented the European and Development Countries Clinical Trial Partnership (EDCTP). Reflecting the industry’s engagement in assuming social responsibility, Merck & Co. has played an important role in health care and prevention, for example within the oncocheriasis program in West Africa by donating drugs.

Context and issue

New ideas, progress, successes

The financial crisis was highlighted as having an effect on human health through rocketing food prices. The heads of institutions that speculated on the stock market should be made more accountable for this social catastrophe. Unfettered capitalism has excluded vulnerable populations who are the ones that pay the price. The huge inequalities that exist in health care require more research into the social determinants of health and implementation of practical reforms.

The Millennium Development Goals embodied the broadest commitment by the UN and its membership to jointly address cross-sectoral human development issues. These goals encompass health and should guide related research. Failures to achieve the MGDs should be critically assessed and evidence-based strategies developed to overcome obstacles as identified. Political will, agenda setting, planning, financial structures, international co-operation all need to be reviewed and retooled to serve the general public, and national health and development goals.

Policies, Programmes, Initiatives

Merck has been involved in successful partnerships for onchocerciasis elimination in West Africa, treatment of lymphatic filariasis, and pricing of ARVs.

The European Commission has three mandated objectives that apply to research

• defining research priorities and agendas
• funding programs
• creating links with scientists, member states, international institutions, and industry

The last objective is particularly important with regard to the scope and membership of the Bamako Forum and collaboration with countries in other regional groupings. The EC has pioneered linkages in middle and low income countries. In consultation with WHO, the EC has identified specific areas of research in reproductive health and childhood illness. The EC has set up a program European and Development Countries Clinical Trial Partnership (EDCTP) to build up research capacity, particularly in Africa on HIV, TB and malaria. This is the largest initiative in Africa with over 400 million euros. The programme is aimed at developing drugs and vaccines. It will be evaluated next year. The EC also has programmes on neglected diseases and technology transfer.

The Wellcome Trust is a funder and not a donor as it actively engages with people in areas of research and practice. Data is important as it guides interventions; e.g. the WorldMapper on malaria and cardiovascular disease shows where the major concentrations of these diseases are. The Wellcome Trust focuses on developing people’s capacity, but for this to happen, individuals must first work in teams then in major programmes and institutions, and finally in networks. Julie Makani’s research at the University of Tanzania was given as an example of WT’s commitment and success in investing in people. Malaria GEN (Genetic Epidemiology Network) was highlighted as a WT established network. This approach to building capacity will prevent brain drain in Africa.

Lessons learned

Brazil has successfully promoted technology transfer by encouraging suppliers to set their manufacturing plants in Brazil.

Wellcome Trust has been successful in investing in people, teams, programmes, institutions and networks for research in Africa which are now demonstrating effective capacity and quality. Wellcome Trust’s successful capacity-building has been mediated through local institutions.

The Global Forum for Health has shown commitment to providing a platform where all key stakeholders – including pharmaceutical companies, research institutions, and policy makers can come together and interact.

Findings and conclusions

From formal presentations

More industrialization is needed in developing countries, and this perspective should not be restricted to the pharmaceutical industry.

The pharmaceutical industry is an important partner but they can only address needs based on their inherent skills and expertise.

From open discussions/debates

• The capacity for countries to analyze and evaluate their own data needs to be improved.
• Scientists set research agendas; therefore this concept of countries setting their own research agendas is vague and unclear and is not even a model adhered to in western industrialized countries.
• EDCTP is a good partnership model.
• The theme of South-South collaboration was missing at this conference.

Identified conclusions

The following five elements are important to improving health care and prevention services

• capacity innovation which is dependent on economic growth
• long term political commitment
• national capacity
• dialogue on research and policy
• partnerships and networks

Main points of agreement

Industry (pharmaceuticals companies) have an important role to play.

Capacity must be developed locally, within institutions.

Main points of divergence

Pharmaceutical industry should reinvest their profits to support research efforts in low income countries.

Focus and priorities for the Bamako Action Plan

Recommendations - Policy/Operational aspects

Human and institutional capacity building is key.

The role of industry (pharmaceutical companies) as a key contributor and partner needs to be better recognized and utilized.

Careful consideration should be given to how, practically, industry’s engagement can best be encouraged and applied.

Linkages and dialogue amongst all key stakeholders are vital.

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