How did the Global Observatory on Health R&D come about?

In May 2013, the Sixty-sixth World Health Assembly specifically mandated the establishment of the Observatory in resolution WHA66.22, with the overall goal “to consolidate, monitor and analyze relevant information on health research and development activities, … with a view to contributing to the identification and the definition of gaps and opportunities for health research and development priorities, and supporting coordinated actions on health research and development.”

The Sixty-ninth World Health Assembly (May 2016) re-emphasized the Observatory’s central role and the importance of expediting its development. In resolution WHA69.23 it also requested the establishment of an expert committee on health R&D to set priorities for new investments based on information primarily provided by the Observatory.

In addition, WHO Member States requested that the WHO Director-General ensure the R&D needs relating to the following two specific areas of health concern (where current markets and business models are failing) are tracked through the Observatory. They are:

1. antimicrobial resistance and the need to develop new medical products to protect populations from the risks of failing treatments against infectious pathogens (see resolution WHA 67.25 of the Sixty-seventh World Health Assembly in May 2014); 
2. a comprehensive Blueprint R&D preparedness plan that allows the rapid activation of R&D activities during future epidemics, such as the epidemic that occurred due to Ebola virus disease. (see EB138/28 of the 138th session of the WHO Executive Board in November 2015).

The work of the Observatory is guided by the following core principles of affordability, effectiveness, efficiency and equity.