Partnerships and engagement

Today, nearly three billion people live on less than USD 2 a day. Their health cannot be improved simply by increasing the amount of drugs that companies donate. Access to treatment also requires infrastructural changes and international cooperation. Tackling challenges on this scale requires a multi-stakeholder approach. Public-private partnerships, in which the resources, expertise and insight of companies, governmental bodies and NGOs are combined, offer a way forward.

Drug donations are nonetheless an important element in joint efforts to improve access to treatment, such as the Novartis commitment to help fight leprosy until the disease has been eliminated. Novartis has undertaken, in cooperation with the World Health Organization (WHO), to provide leprosy drugs free of charge. Similarly, we have partnered with the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria to provide tuberculosis drugs for 500 000 adult treatments, free of charge.

Since signing the Global Compact, we have also agreed to a differential pricing system in which we provide Coartem® to the WHO at cost, in order to treat patients in the poorest countries. Coartem is one of the most effective malaria drugs available globally, with cure rates of up to 95% even in areas of multi-drug resistance.

Despite the fact that more than 95% of the drugs listed in the WHO Essential Drugs List are patent-free and highly cost-effective, they are still unavailable locally in many countries. Of equal importance is the creation of a viable and comprehensive system of functional healthcare facilities and services adapted to the local environment. In 2009, Novartis and its Foundation for Sustainable Development will continue to support ongoing conceptual work on a business perspective on the right to health.

With regard to access to medicines, we will continue our partnership with the WHO for Coartem delivery and collaborate on a program of malaria research with the Wellcome Trust, Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) and the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB).

In tackling complex human rights challenges we adopt a stakeholder-inclusive approach to define the role and limits of corporate commitment. Novartis is engaged in such dialogue and supports high standards of transparency and accountability on human rights issues. As part of our ongoing commitment to transparency, we state our position on various issues affecting our business.

Visit the World Health Organization (WHO)

Visit the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria website

Visit the Wellcome Trust website

Visit the Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) website

The Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB)

Learn more on Novartis perspectives on key issues

Learn more on our efforts to enhance patient access, see access to medicines

 

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