Authors
WBCSD Communications
WBCSD member GSK retains its number one position in the 2021 Access to Medicines Index, and is recognized for progress and the largest R&D pipeline for priority diseases impacting people in low- and middle- income countries.
The 7th annual index published by the Access to Medicine Foundation reports how 20 of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies make medicines, vaccines and diagnostics more accessible for people in low- and middle-income countries.
The independently developed, investor-backed index was this time prepared amid the coronavirus pandemic which has drawn attention to the chronic problem of inequitable access to medicine – and acknowledges the efforts of GSK and others to counter this.
Following assessment against 33 metrics across R&D, governance, pricing and supply in 106 low- and middle-income countries and for 82 diseases, conditions and pathogens, the index reveals that GSK takes a mature approach to managing access, and performs strongly in R&D for global health priorities.
The accompanying report further emphasizes the significance of cross-industry and cross-sector partnership in improving the health of people in developing countries. A number of GSK’s collaborations are highlighted, including: the development of pediatric formulations of dolutegravir for HIV; licensing its tuberculosis vaccine candidate to the Gates MRI for development and use in low-income countries; and its work with WHO, PATH and Ministries of Health to implement the RTS,S vaccine for malaria in Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi. The Index also recognizes the breadth of ViiV Healthcare’s voluntary licensing for dolutegravir, and the impact of GSK’s work with GAVI.
The report also highlights GSK’s donation of albendazole, in partnership with the WHO to control soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH-intestinal worms) in school-aged children, a program which GSK has this week extended until 2025.
Four other WBCSD members rank in the 2021 Access to Medicines Index: Novartis in second place, Roche in ninth, Novo Nordisk in 10th and Bayer in 13th.
You can access the 2021 Access to Medicines Index report here.