Strengthening Pharmaceutical Innovation in Africa

Abstract

"Across Africa today there are dozens of activities in the broad area of pharmaceutical innovation – focusing on procurement, development and access to drugs. In contrast, there are no comprehensive descriptions and little evidence on the current status of pharmaceutical innovation 2 . This study aims to fill this information gap. And to equip decision makers to decide where they want to go with pharmaceutical innovation—and reflect on how to get there. Most current thinking on innovation is based on evidence from developed countries. Apart from some surveys undertaken by the Technical Committee of the AU Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Plan to inform the implementation of the plan, this study is perhaps the first of its kind to offer a critical analysis of the constraints, resources and challenges in the region— from the viewpoint of African decision makers. It focuses on how countries can put innovation into action to support their health needs – in terms of priorities, investment needs – and provides tools for decision makers to design national and regional innovation strategies. This report also attempts to clarify issues of research and innovation for health and development. These are much-discussed in the ‘inner circle’ of global health debates and intergovernmental bodies, but less understood by national decision makers who define national policies and strategies in the health, science and technology" (p. 10)