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Third World Network is pleased to announce the release of an important new report on how the trade rules being proposed in the World Trade Organization (WTO) and other free trade agreements would impede the ability of governments from the Global South to tax the digitalised economy.

The 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) emphasize partnership to attain health related goals and Universal Health Coverage (UHC). Although World Health Organization (WHO)’s Member States have adopted the SDG agenda, they will not be able to achieve these goals through public sector service delivery alone. The private health sector has evolved to be a prominent provider of health service delivery across regions and different wealth quintiles. Innovations are thriving in the private health sector and call for a new approach to governing health systems so as to ensure that both the public and private sector can contribute.

The WHO’s Expert Committee on Biological Standardisation (ECBS) has declined a request to revise its 2009 Guidelines for the Evaluation of Similar Biotherapeutic Products (WHO Guidelines), which set the requirements for the generic version of biotherapeutics known as “biosimilars”.

The WHO Secretariat then decided to evaluate the scientific evidence to support the revision of WHO Guidelines. The procedural holes in the ECBS decision might be the reason behind WHO’s decision to review the scientific evidence.

During its 70th meeting on 21-25 October 2019 the ECBS – which includes a panel of experts with proficiency in developing norms and standards related to vaccines, blood products, and biotherapeutics – considered a request initiated by a group of scientists and civil society organisations (CSO) to revise the WHO Guidelines on biosimilars.

This paper reviews contemporary policy debates regarding priority setting for universal health coverage (UHC) in the context of instabilities in the global economy and the neoliberal program for managing those instabilities.

PHM recognises the importance of universal health coverage (UHC) although our endorsement is qualified because of the diversity of interpretations of UHC circulating, some of which, such as the World Bank’s multi-payer, stratified access, mixed delivery model, PHM does not support.

PHM endorses the need for equity and efficiency in the allocation of resources for health care and population health programmes including in the implementation of UHC. Health system design (funding and delivery configuration) is the major determinant of equity and efficiency in resource allocation and health care delivery. More specific approaches, discussed below, include: first, the use of ‘defined benefit packages’ in insurance dominated systems; and second, the methods and mechanisms through which equitable and efficient resource allocation can be promoted in tax-funded, public delivery systems.

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, the fight against mpox – previously known as monkeypox – is entering a new phase.

While many are anxious to contain the outbreak – the largest mpox outbreak ever recorded in the DRC with more than 4,500 cases so far this year – experts say that's not yet possible: There are no vaccines or treatments in the country right now, and even the testing capacity is severely limited. Instead, this new phase of the mpox fight involves simply getting a better understanding of what exactly is going on.

"We've been doing a lot of groundwork and building support and trying to strengthen things. And now, I hope, we're at a pivot point," says Dr. Jennifer McQuiston of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Over the next three weeks, we expect to learn a lot about what's happening on the ground."

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This note reviews decision making in and around the WHO with a focus on the debates around ‘counterfeit’ medicines and the relationships between IP and affordability, quality, safety and efficacy.  It covers the period 2003 - 2013.

Several members of the World Trade Organization sought to know from the facilitator overseeing the reform of the WTO’s dispute settlement system (DSS) as to why his 49-page draft ministerial decision did not include language on the crucial pillar of Appellate Review, particularly the Appellate Body.

The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed fragilities in the global health architecture that contributed to countries being ill-equipped to effectively respond to a global health emergency, which in turn led to devastating consequences for children’s access to essential health services.

Increased political awareness and commitment to pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response (PPR) efforts offer a pivotal opportunity to make gains in child survival through resilient health systems that are anchored in a primary health care and rights-based approach.

Save the Children and UNICEF UK new policy briefing presents a series of measures for the WHO Pandemic Accord as well as recommendations for the broader health emergency PPR architecture.

Official page of the Working Group on Amendments to the International Health Regulations (2005)

On the road to the UN HLM on UHC

The 2023 UN High-level meeting on universal health coverage (UHC) provides countries and all stakeholders an opportunity to reinvigorate progress towards delivering health for all.