A research programme by the Access to Medicine Foundation
The foundation

Access to Medicine Foundation

The Foundation stimulates and guides pharmaceutical companies to do more to improve access to medicine. It is an independent non-profit organisation.
Our programmes

Access to Medicine Index

Ranks 20 of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies based on their efforts to address access to medicine, including in strategy, governance, R&D and pricing. By publicly recognising the best performers, the Index spurs companies to compete to be the best.

Antimicrobial Resistance Benchmark

Tracks what the 30 most active companies in antimicrobial R&D and manufacturing are doing to bring antimicrobial resistance under control. By assessing the level of action, it provides a reality check on progress against AMR.

Access to Vaccines Index

Reports what vaccine companies are doing to ensure all children can be immunised wherever they live. By uncovering what is working and where, this Index helps ensure vaccine markets also reach the poorest and most remote communities.
Type search term(s) and press enter
Often searched for
Index Ranking Vacancies 10-year analysis R&D pipelines AMR antibiotics Investors

Access to Medicine Index homepage

Feature - 24 Mar 2021

New analysis: Handful of new children’s meds on the horizon. But will they be accessible to children in LMICs?

New analysis from the Access to Medicine Index shows that just 7% of pharmaceutical companies’ R&D is for children under 12, despite significant gaps in paediatric treatment options. Some game-changing medicines are on the horizon.

2021 Access to Medicine Index: latest analysis of pharma action.

The Index reports how 20 pharma companies make medicines, vaccines and diagnostics more accessible for people in low- and middle-income countries.

Key finding

R&D for COVID-19 has increased, yet other pandemic risks go unaddressed

R&D for COVID-19 has increased, yet other pandemic risks go unaddressed

Despite years of warnings that novel coronaviruses were among the pathogens most likely to cause a global health emergency, the pharmaceutical industry, as well as society at large, was ill-prepared for the COVID-19 pandemic.

Key finding

Less than half of key products are covered by access strategies in poorer countries

Less than half of key products are covered by access strategies in poorer countries

Low-income countries are most consistently overlooked when pharma companies apply equitable pricing, voluntary licensing and donations initiatives. Many products analysed are not covered by access strategies in any out of 106 countries.

News related to the Access to Medicine Index

16 Jun 2021

Global oxygen suppliers commit to closing oxygen gaps in low- and middle-income countries

Two of the world’s largest medical oxygen suppliers have agreed to work with the COVID-19 Oxygen Emergency Taskforce to increase access to medical oxygen in LMICs.

26 Jan 2021

Now online: the 2021 Access to Medicine Index

The Access to Medicine Foundation has published its 7th Access to Medicine Index. Based on a framework of 33 metrics, this latest Index assesses the actions of 20 pharmaceutical companies to improve access to life-saving products.

10 Jul 2020

Handful of new children’s meds on the horizon. But will they be accessible to children in LMICs?

New analysis from the Access to Medicine Index shows that just 7% of pharmaceutical companies’ R&D is for children under 12, despite significant gaps in paediatric treatment options.

20 Mar 2020

100+ investors endorse the Access to Medicine Index

Eight new investors have pledged support to the Foundation’s research and signed the Access to Medicine Index Investor Statement, taking the total number of signatory investors to 103 with total assets under management of USD 14 trillion.

View all news

"There have been massive improvements in global health in the past decades, with all major pharmaceutical companies taking action. To close the gaps that remain, a greater diversity of companies must get involved and stay engaged."

Jayasree K. Iyer

Executive Director Access to Medicine Foundation

The Access to Medicine Index is featured in

View our media coverage

Back to top |