What were the Commissions terms of reference?
The Commission was asked to submit a final report with concrete proposals to WHO’s Executive Board. Its detailed terms of reference were to: • Summarize the existing evidence on the prevalence of diseases of public health importance with an emphasis on those that particularly affect poor people and their social and economic impact; • Review the volume and distribution of existing research, development and innovation efforts directed at these diseases; • Consider the importance and effectiveness of intellectual property regimes and other incentive and funding mechanisms in stimulating research and the creation of new medicines and other products against these diseases; • Analyse proposals for improvements to the current incentive and funding regimes, including intellectual property rights, designed to stimulate the creation of new medicines and other products, and facilitate access to them; • Produce concrete proposals for action by national and international stakeholders.
