Pharma companies can have an “emerging markets strategy” Emerging markets are nothing like one another: an Argentinian denied an expensive new drug will usually just go and get a court to order his insurer or the state to pay for it; an Indonesian may never even find out what’s wrong with him. Argentina spends about $1050 per person on … [Read more...] about Five myths about access to medicines in emerging markets
Global Health Progress
The failure of global health advocacy spelled out in numbers
No fashionable university is without its own department doing studies and advocacy on global health these days and NGOs and consultancies proliferate. Richard Horton and his team at The Lancet seem to produce ever more elaborate reports and commissions demanding an extra $30 billion here or $50 billion there. None of them tell you that funding for … [Read more...] about The failure of global health advocacy spelled out in numbers
International declarations and treaties don’t change things — Tweets do
There was a time when international declarations changed the world. Maybe some still do but increasingly leaders communicate in 140 characters, not 20-page communiqués. Even international agreements and treaties may not be worth the paper they're written on, much less the thousands of days of staff time that go into them, according to an elegant … [Read more...] about International declarations and treaties don’t change things — Tweets do
#Indonesia #universalhealth plan seems destined for failure – BBC documentary
The BBC World Service this week ran a 30-minute in-depth examination of Indonesia's alarmingly vague plans for a universal healthcare service. Following the BBC's fashion for human interest, the programme is heavy on disconnected individual stories and light on heavy analysis. Indonesia's health minister, Dr Nafsiah Mboi, must have been relieved … [Read more...] about #Indonesia #universalhealth plan seems destined for failure – BBC documentary
As concerns over governance grow, Clinton Foundation shifts focus to women and children
The New York Times reports unease at the stable of charities and companies centred around former President Bill Clinton. The unease stems in part from the former President's freewheeling and informal style; part from the influence of a few close aides and; in part because Chelsea, Clinton's daughter, worries that the Foundation will die with him. … [Read more...] about As concerns over governance grow, Clinton Foundation shifts focus to women and children
BRICS co-operation on health: where’s the beef?
The Bullet of the World Health Organization has issued a call for papers for a themed issue on "BRICS and global health to enhance people’s understanding of the dynamics of health and development in BRICS countries and of how these countries contribute to global health, both by improving health outcomes in their own territories and by engaging in … [Read more...] about BRICS co-operation on health: where’s the beef?
Pharmas intimacy problem with social media
Every year, Mark Chataway (of Hyderus) writes a piece for Pharmaceutical Executive. This year's piece is on how badly the pharmaceutical industry does with social media (and is co-written with James Ward). It's already proving highly controversial. "Pharma wants to play the role of a second-grade consumer marketer, not that of a thoughtful … [Read more...] about Pharmas intimacy problem with social media