A new pharmaceutical company ranking has said the industry is slowly improving access to medicine in low and middle-income countries. But it only mobilized on COVID once the pandemic threatened rich countries.
The Index ranks companies on what they are doing to improve access to their medicines in poorer countries. Image: picture-alliance/dpa/J. Delay
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Pharmaceutical companies "continue to inch forward" to improve access to medicines in poorer countries, said a report published by the Access to Medicine Foundation on Tuesday.
The Netherlands-based nonprofit organisation said there has been progress, but that progress is slow. And profit appears still to be the main driver for research and development (R&D) in medicines and vaccines.
It continues: "The 2021 analysis showed that only two recently approved products target neglected tropical diseases (NTDs)."
And on COVID-19, the "industry only mobilized once it became clear that the outbreak affected rich as well as poor countries," because that opened up the potential for "substantial recurring pharmaceutical revenues."
"The state of infectious disease research today is, if I can put it mildly, on thin ice," said Dr. Jayasree Iyer, executive director of the Access to Medicine Foundation, in an interview with DW.
"It's heavily reliant on public funds and the goodwill of a few pharmaceutical companies. Many companies have actually left infectious disease R&D," said Iyer.
"But when we talk about the scale of some of these issues and the knowledge to develop a product, to produce it at scale, efficiently, and deploy it in countries, the world relies on the pharmaceutical industry," she said.
The industry might also argue that it needs recurring revenues in order to be able to respond to public health emergencies, such as a pandemic.
Conditions that get the most attention
Access to Medicine's Index ranks pharmaceutical companies on what they are doing to improve access to their medicines — their products — in poorer countries.
The ranking uses three main criteria: governance of access, research and development, and product delivery.
How has life changed in Wuhan?
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Our graph focuses on the top 10 companies in the ranking of 20.
GlaxoSmithKline has held onto the top position since the last Access to Medicine Index was published in 2018. Pfizer has entered the top five.
Non-communicable diseases, such as cancers, continue to dominate R&D at the top companies. Cancers account for more than two-thirds of all projects.
Among the infectious diseases, HIV and AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria continue to receive the most attention from companies, with COVID-19 joining them in 2020.
Research into maternal and neonatal health conditions increased, but "only slightly," says an accompanying report. That was by 1% of all R&D projects.
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Less action on neglected tropical diseases
Access for Medicine said there has been "notable progress" in planning during R&D to make future products accessible.
"Eight companies are developing approaches for systematically ensuring all R&D projects are paired with plans to increase access in poorer countries soon after launch," wrote the report authors.
Dracunculiasis, or guinea-worm disease, is contracted by drinking contaminated waterImage: Imago/ZUMA Press/W. Pope
NTDs include dengue, rabies, trachoma, yaws and guinea-worm disease. The latter two have been identified as candidates for disease eradication or disease control.
There are other diseases, such as Ebola, of which there have been a number of recent outbreaks in western Africa.
Those outbreaks, said Iyer, have provided a platform for renewed interest in Ebola, but that interest needs to be maintained and prioritized.
"The more disease priorities are well-defined, the easier it is to engage industry," said Iyer. "And the greater the public funding, and assistance to deploy [medicines], the likelier it is that we see a group of companies engaging on particular issues."
That can also come as a result of public sentiment through awareness campaigns and activism, said Iyer. That has been seen with HIV, for instance.
Planning for the next pandemic
Access to Medicine's findings also show so-called "empty pipelines" for 10 out of 16 of the emerging infectious diseases in the world. Basically, nothing's happening there — no research, no development.
One such example, said Iyer, is Nipah, an infectious disease that transmits from animals to humans, a "zoonotic" virus.
It has been found in Asia, Southeast Asia and Africa, with recent outbreaks affecting Malaysia, Singapore, Bangladesh, India and Thailand. And there is no vaccine.
"Large research-based pharmaceutical companies have a critical role to play in preparing for the next pandemic," wrote the report authors. "The lag in access planning, despite hefty public funding for much R&D, suggests that pharmaceutical companies must do more."
That includes demonstrating a sustained commitment to investing more in emerging infectious disease R&D, embedding equitable distribution into their strategies and showing greater flexibility on sharing intellectual property.
Coronavirus: Politicians who've tested positive
French President Emmanuel Macron is the latest top-tier politician to come down with a case of COVID-19. He's the latest among several, perhaps unsurprisingly given politicians' busy schedules and frequent travel.
Image: Olivier Hoslet/REUTERS
Emmanuel Macron
French President Emmanuel Macron tested positive for the virus on December 17. Following the diagnosis, he canceled all of his upcoming trips, including one to Lebanon, and said he would self-isolate for seven days. French Prime Minsiter Jean Castex was also set to isolate after coming into contact with Macron.
Image: Olivier Hoslet/REUTERS
Andrzej Duda
Polish President Andrzej Duda tested positive for coronavirus in October, as the country was facing surge in new infections. Duda, an ally of the ruling nationalist Law and Justice Party, was "feeling fine" at the time of the diagnosis. The day before officials announced his infection, the number of new cases in the country of 38 million hit a daily record of more than 13,600.
Image: Reuters/A. Szmigiel
Donald Trump
Donald Trump, who once said COVID-19 tests were "beautiful," tested positive for the coronavirus, along with his wife Melania, soon after senior aide Hope Hicks also contracted the virus. The infection came less than a month before November's presidential elections in the US.
Image: Doug Mills/abaca/picture alliance
Ambrose Dlamini
Prime Minister of Eswatini Ambrose Dlamini died at the age of 52 after contracting coronavirus. He was the first sitting leader to succumb to the virus.
Image: RODGER BOSCH/AFP
Valery Giscard d'Estaing
Former French President Valery Giscard d'Estaing died aged 94 on December 2 after contracting COVID-19. During his rule, he legalized abortion and brought the country high-speed trains. He also promoted cooperation among European nations, especially in tandem with the former West Germany, forging a strong rapport with Chancellor Helmut Schmidt.
Image: Stephane De Sakutin/AFP/Getty Images
Silvio Berlusconi
The 83-year-old former Italian premier tested positive for the virus and is believed to be asymptomatic, his party announced on September 2. Two of Berlusconi's children as well as his 30-year-old girlfriend are also COVID-19 positive. The ex-premier tested positive after vacationing along Sardinia's coastline, where Italy's rich and famous have been known to flaunt mask policies.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/D. Vojinovic
Jair Bolsonaro
Brazil's president, who has repeatedly downplayed the severity of the pandemic, contracted the virus in July. He was criticized for ignoring the safety measures recommended by health experts both before and after his diagnosis, including shaking hands and hugging supporters in crowds. His wife and sons also tested positive.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/E. Peres
Boris Johnson
In late March, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson came down with a coronavirus infection that landed him in the hospital for several days. Johnson spent a week at a hospital in London and three nights in intensive care where he was given oxygen and observed around the clock. He was released in mid-April and credited hospital staff with saving his life.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/S. Dawson
Michel Barnier
Michel Barnier, the EU's chief Brexit negotiator, tested positive for the virus in March. The top Brussels official sent out a tweet in English as well as French saying he was doing well and "in good spirits." He added: "I am following all the necessary instructions, as is my team."
Image: Reuters/Y. Herman
Alexander Lukashenko
Belarus's embattled President Lukashenko told military officials on July 28 that he had survived an "asymptomatic" COVID-19 infection "on his feet," days before his contentious re-election. The claim met skepticism given its timing. He initially dismissed fears about the pandemic as a "psychosis" and went as far as suggesting cures such as drinking vodka, taking saunas and playing ice hockey.
Image: picture-alliance/Russian Look/V. Listsyn
Jeanine Anez
Bolivia's interim president Jeanine Anez announced on July 10 that she had the virus. "I feel well, I feel strong, I am going to keep working remotely from my isolation, and I want to thank all the Bolivians who are working to help us in this health crisis," the leader tweeted at the time.
Image: AFP
Juan Orlando Hernandez
The president of Honduras spent time being treated at a military hospital after falling ill with coronavirus in June. He received specialized care including receiving medicines via an intravenous drip. His wife and two presidential aids also tested positive. Hernandez left hospital in early July after his symptoms improved.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/J. Martin
Alejandro Giammattei
The Guatemalan president told local radio on September 18 that he had tested positive for the virus. The 64-year-old, who has multiple sclerosis and uses canes to walk, said his symptoms were mild. The government said Giammattei plans on monitoring his health and continuing official duties from isolation.
Image: Johan Ordonez/AFP
Abdelmadjid Tebboune
Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune was flown to Germany hospital for treatment after contracting the virus. The 74-year-old looked haggard and spent in his public appearance 47 days after testing positive.
Image: Ryad Kramdi/AFP
Luis Abinader
Luis Abinader, the newly elected president of the Dominican Republic, tested positive during his election campaign. He recovered before the July election and spent one week in isolation.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/O. Barria
Jens Spahn
German Health Minister Jens Spahn, who has led Germany's fight against the pandemic, tested positive for the coronavirus in October and had "cold-like symptoms." He went into immediate isolation and soon recovered. Despite a couple of self-isolation scares for Angela Merkel and other ministers, Spahn remains Germany's highest-profile political case to date.
Image: Daniel Karmann/dpa/picture alliance
Not an exhaustive list
This gallery does not include all major politicians who have contracted the coronavirus. Others, such as Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov, Moldovan Prime Minister Ion Chicu, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, and Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, are just some of the other top politicians who have contracted the virus.
