IAPO supports recommendations that the WHO has made about pharmaceutical research priorities. IAPO works with WHO to facilitate the involvement of patients in priority-setting in pharmaceutical innovation.  

In 2013 WHO published an update to its 2004 report: Priority Medicines for Europe and the World. This report explores the changes in global health and pharmaceutical innovation since 2004. IAPO submitted a response to WHO on drafts following consultation with its members. In February 2013, we attended a meeting at the European Commission and WHO to discuss the report. We spoke about patient involvement in the process of priority- setting for pharmaceutical and medical device innovation.  

Innovation recommendations

The report analyses pharmaceutical innovation from a global public health perspective for Europe and the world, based on the principles of equity and efficiency. It provides recommendations on how pharmaceutical innovation can better meet current and future patients’ needs, by prioritising research on:

• Frameworks and models for patient and citizen involvement: strong frameworks can promote transparency and equity

• Capacity building for patients and citizens: provides support which enables patients and citizens to be meaningfully involved in priority setting for pharmaceutical innovation

• Assessing the outcomes of initiatives to involve patients and citizens: monitoring and evaluation helps to develop an evidence-base for patient and citizen involvement and further improve patient involvement initiatives