Are pharma giants living up to big promises on development?
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Version 0 of 1. The pharmaceutical industry plays a fundamental role in achieving international development targets. This was recognised in the millennium development goals (MDGs), which explicitly mention that providing access to affordable essential drugs in low- and middle-income countries has to be achieved “in cooperation with pharmaceutical companies”. Yet efforts to track progress towards the MDGs have focused mainly on government action rather than corporate contributions. The Access to Medicine Foundation has stepped into this gap. Since 2008, it has tracked the commitments and actions of pharmaceutical companies to improve access to medicine in low- and middle-income countries. It measures 20 of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies on their policies and practices for increasing access to medicine. The Foundation’s latest report maps how the pharma companies it tracks are responding to global calls for action on MDG5, which sets targets for reducing deaths during pregnancy and childbirth and for increasing access to contraception and safe abortion. Related: What are the millennium development goals on child mortality and maternal health all about? Globally, approximately 800 women die every day from preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth. Limited access to contraception contributes to 74m unintended pregnancies and 20m unsafe abortions annually. The report clarifies what society can expect from pharmaceutical companies in this area. There is broad consensus that the industry’s main contribution should be related to research and development. Large pharmaceutical companies have the knowledge and technical expertise needed to develop and adapt products to meet the needs of women and girls living in low- and middle-income countries. Pharmaceutical companies can also make a significant contribution to MDG5 by addressing the affordability of key products, particularly contraceptives, and by helping to build local capacities, for example by training birth attendants, or supporting local supply and demand forecasting. The report maps the landscape of company activity, making a number of interesting findings. First, seven of the 20 pharma companies analysed have separately committed to advancing the UN global strategy for women’s and children’s health, via its Every Woman Every Child movement, and are actively contributing to improving maternal health and access to family planning products. Second, companies are adopting a broad perspective on their corporate responsibilities. Of the companies implementing a variety of initiatives to improve access to maternal health and family planning, five do not have products relevant to these areas, but are still making a contribution. Third, pharma companies involved in these various initiatives have recognised the need to involve partners of some sort – NGOs, governments or universities – in order to share incentives, reduce risk and ensure activities meet local needs. The report found that, though research and development was limited, three products in development – by GlaxoSmithKline, Merck & Co and Novartis – are all aimed at the highest-priority need: stopping excessive bleeding during childbirth, including heat-stable versions of the hormone oxytocin. Current versions of oxytocin must be continuously refrigerated, which is often not possible in regions with high poverty levels, especially rural areas. The report said companies could be doing more in countries where maternal mortality ratios are highest, such as Sierra Leone, Chad and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. More broadly, the report shows that pharmaceutical companies can respond proactively to global targets and priorities – and the areas it covers can act as a baseline for monitoring whether companies are working to improve access to maternal and reproductive health. Measuring corporate contributions to international development targets is as fundamental as measuring government action. As we head into the era of the SDGs, rigorous monitoring and benchmarking of pharmaceutical companies will be crucial for identifying what works in the long-term and what needs to be adapted. |