On 8 May, IFPMA read the following statement at the Multi-stakeholder Hearing on Tuberculosis (TB) in New York.

Your excellencies and distinguished guests, thank you for the opportunity to participate in this multi-stakeholder hearing on behalf of the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations, or IFPMA.

The innovative pharmaceutical industry welcomes the focus on TB this year, particularly given the concerning reality that hard-fought progress in incidence and mortality reductions have been set back during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Together, we have made great strides on innovating to tackle TB. These include the development of new drugs and shorter treatment regimens for drug-sensitive and drug-resistant TB; fixed dose combinations and child-friendly drug formulations; progress on vaccines; and advances in molecular diagnostics, digital health, and artificial intelligence. We’ve also established innovative approaches to expand access to TB innovations and accelerate patient finding in high-burden countries. These achievements demonstrate the continued commitments from the innovative pharmaceutical industry and our partners to address this leading infectious disease killer, now second only to COVID-19.

More is needed, however, to advance the additional innovation required to end TB. Greater public and private investment in TB research and development and manufacturing will be critical considering how complex, risky, expensive, and time-consuming these processes are for TB. A critical enabler of our success is a healthy and reliable intellectual property ecosystem for innovation. Placing mandatory one-size-fits-all access conditionalities on collaborations between the public and private sectors runs the risk of thwarting innovation at a time when TB patients are in urgent need of new and better prevention, diagnosis, and treatment options. In addition, we also need improved, end-to-end planning to provide visibility on the policy, regulatory, and financing pathways required for new combination therapies and vaccines.

In all our efforts, we prioritize the importance of multi-sectoral collaboration, including with TB-affected people and communities. We look forward to continuing to work with stakeholders to reduce the burden placed by TB on societies and communities and to overcome this long-standing global health challenge. Thank you.

About IFPMA

The International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA) represents over 90 innovative pharmaceutical companies and associations around the world. Our industry’s almost three million employees discover, develop, and deliver medicines and vaccines that advance global health. Based in Geneva, IFPMA has official relations with the United Nations and contributes industry expertise to help the global health community improve the lives of people everywhere. For more information, visit ifpma.org.

Learn more

Media Contact

Elliot Dunster e.dunster@ifpma.org