Gates and Commission target poverty, disease
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the European Commission have signed an agreement in Paris pledging to work together to fight HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and other poverty-related diseases which affect over one billion people worldwide.
The deal, which was signed by foundation co-chair Bill Gates and European Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science, Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, creates a new strategic research partnership in the area. The partnership will also invest in the research and development of lifesaving interventions to improve the health and wellbeing of people living in developing countries. In addition, the two organisations will seek to improve affordable and sustainable pathways to ensure that these products quickly reach those in greatest need.
Speaking about the agreement, Geoghegan-Quinn said: “Our goal in this new partnership is to work together to develop at least one new and better health product per year. This will represent a big step forward for the millions who suffer from poverty-related diseases.”
Gates added: “With sufficient resources and political commitment, we can together improve the lives of millions before the end of this decade. The foundation is completely committed to supporting efforts to develop life-saving products to help solve some of the world’s toughest problems. Partnership with the Commission and other funders is critical to the success of our common mission.”
Between 2007 and 2011, the Foundation and the Commission contributed €2.4bn to R&D focused on poverty-related infectious diseases, supporting the development of more than 20 new and improved products. The bodies are also planning to launch a joint innovation prize at the 2014 Innovation Convention to recognise and reward innovations that address challenges in current approaches to global health.
