WHO Western Pacific Innovation Forum: Achieving the Health Future We Need
Last month, the World Health Organization (WHO) Western Pacific region held its first annual Innovation Forum. International policymakers and thought leaders discussed the critical role innovation plays in navigating today’s health challenges, as well as future ones. The three-day virtual event underscored the significance of innovation in overcoming the COVID-19 pandemic and non-communicable diseases throughout Southeast Asia.
What They Are Saying: Collaboration is key to combat COVID-19 in Southeast Asia
Across Southeast Asia and around the world, global cooperation and public-private partnerships help cultivate an unprecedented amount of scientific knowledge; these efforts are helping researchers in the biopharmaceutical industry quickly uncover and advance new medicines for patients. Industry experts continue to highlight the critical role public-private partnerships play in promoting innovation and incentivizing ongoing investment in new discoveries.
What They Are Saying: Intellectual Property Protections Critical to Defeat COVID-19 in Southeast Asia
As the global biopharmaceutical industry continues to research and develop COVID-19 vaccines and treatments, innovators are looking to intellectual property (IP) rights to protect their breakthrough discoveries and enable further investment and collaboration. Industry experts continue to highlight the important role IP plays in promoting innovation and incentivizing ongoing collaborations.
APEC trade ministers reaffirm open, rules-based trade flows
Trade is essential to the economies of Southeast Asia. Our region is highly dependent on an open flow of rules-based commerce and cross-border investment to drive economic growth and improve livelihoods. At their recent virtual ministerial meeting, the trade ministers of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) reaffirmed the “the importance of a free, open, fair, non-discriminatory, transparent and predictable trade and investment environment to drive economic recovery at such a challenging time.”