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In early February, health experts from Israel and 33 other countries will convene at the 146th session of the World Health Organization (WHO) Executive Board. These delegates form the key decision-making body that guides the WHO on global health, touching on diverse topics ranging from vaccines and food safety to maternal, newborn and child nutrition. In recent years, Israel has become one of the most innovative countries in the world, and as a result delegates at this year’s Executive Board will be paying close attention its views. Israel has an opportunity to lead in tackling today’s most pressing global health challenges.
This year the Executive Board will revisit the WHO’s Global Strategy and Plan of Action on Public Health, Innovation and Intellectual Property (GSPOA). Negotiated for many years and approved by consensus in 2008, the GSPOA is a framework to help countries set policies to drive discovery of new treatments and cures for diseases that disproportionately affect developing countries. Critically, the GSPOA recognized the importance of intellectual property (IP) protections as “an important incentive in the development of health care products.”
Unfortunately, there have been efforts to refocus the GSPOA on issues that would harm innovation, both for developed and developing countries. Rather than strengthen the IP protections that support health care innovation, some groups have urged governments to weaken them, for example, by breaking patents on new inventions – a drastic action known as compulsory licensing. But studies continue to refute the flawed notion that intellectual property protections prevent patients from accessing new technologies and point to many others barriers that stand in the way
In recent years, Israel has taken steps that demonstrate a deep commitment to defending intellectual property rights and promoting research and development. This commitment to innovation can be seen in the country’s robust biotechnology sector. For example, according to the most recent data, Israel filed 200 biotech patent applications in 2017 – up nearly 13 percent from the previous year. Investment in biopharmaceutical research and development (R&D) has also seen tremendous growth in recent years – between 2012 and 2017 Israeli venture capital funds in the pharmaceutical sector grew by more than 400 percent.
The February 2020 WHO Executive Board meeting is an excellent opportunity for Israel to underscore the value of intellectual property on the global stage – and help to find real solutions to pressing global health challenges.
These impressive figures have helped Israel develop one of the most innovative innovation ecosystems in the world. The country broke into the top 10 most innovative economies this year according to WIPO’s Global Innovation Index – and maintained its foothold as the leading innovator in the Northern Africa and Western Asia region. Further, statements in international meetings and national commitments to research and development echo their support of and focus on innovation:
- At the 2018 WHO Executive Board meeting, Israel emphasized the importance of IP-driven innovation in the Organization’s public health efforts, stating, “The use of technology, innovation and entrepreneurship in the field of public health in the 21st century could also receive more attention [in the WHO’s 13th General Program of Work for 2019 to 2023].”
- At the 2018 World Health Assembly (WHA), the Israeli delegation underscored the tremendous contributions of their own innovation ecosystem, stating, “Israel itself is a regional and global leader in the fields of innovation in digital health, public health emergencies and NCD’s [non-communicable disease] prevention and treatment… As always, Israel is prepared to share its best practices and work together with willing partners in discovering new and innovative methods to meet current and future challenges.”
- Further demonstration of the country’s commitment to innovation can be seen in the recent establishment of the Israel Innovation Authority – a government agency dedicated to “encouraging technological entrepreneurship and investment in industrial R&D.”
The February 2020 WHO Executive Board meeting is an excellent opportunity for Israel to underscore the value of intellectual property on the global stage – and help to find real solutions to pressing global health challenges.
For example, Israel can help prompt a serious conversation about better using incentives, including intellectual property, to spur more R&D into diseases affecting the developing world. Israel can also stress the need for countries, at all levels of development, to have strong health care systems that enable universal access to safe and affordable medicines.
