Global drugmakers fall behind in efforts to make medicines available in poorer countries

The article begins by highlighting the issue of inadequate attention from pharma companies in addressing healthcare needs, particularly the alarmingly low inclusion of resource-poor populations in clinical trials. Despite LMICs accounting for nearly 80% of the global population, less than half of all clinical trials are conducted in these regions.

Jayasree Iyer, CEO of the Access to Medicine Foundation is quoted in the article: “Companies have very clearly said we will register and prioritise registration in countries where the trials are running, but if they don’t run the trials in more areas,… then you’re never going to solve this health equity problem for all the innovative new products.”

The article also highlights another key finding of the 2024 Index: a decline in voluntary licensing activities, which has slowed progress in improving the local availability of new medicines. Voluntary licenses, known for enabling generic manufacturers to produce more affordable versions of drugs, remain an effective yet underutilised strategy for expanding access to essential treatments.