Council brief No. 1

Overview

Governing health innovation for the common good is a key element towards creating a new political economy for Health for All, one that has the ambition of shaping the economy with the objective of building healthy societies that are just, inclusive, equitable and sustainable. This policy brief discusses how to rethink health innovation in light of COVID-19.  The development of multiple COVID-19 vaccines in less than a year shows how much can be accomplished when human ingenuity and solid medical research and development capabilities are given extensive public support.  However, this experience also demonstrates that unless innovation is governed for the common good, many people remain excluded from its benefits, limiting the positive impact of health interventions, and creating unacceptable inequities.