50 Years Of Global Health Progress – Interview With IFPMA Head Thomas Cueni

23/05/2018 William New

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General in his inaugural speech at the World Health Assembly this week, explained that partnerships are a key strategy for the WHO to ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages. He added that the WHO is engaging with the private sector as a crucial partner in achieving health for all. Thomas Cueni, IFPMA’s Director General, in an interview with Health Policy Watch on the occasion of the IFPMA’s 50-year anniversary, explains how the research-based biopharmaceutical industry together with IFPMA have contributed to the huge strides in health progress over 50 years. He explains the major leaps forward, setbacks and mistakes, as well as how industry is part of the solution, as "do-ers" and partners in global health progress. Cueni also talks about pricing and cost of R&D. Continue reading ->

Special Feature: Blocking Taiwan From Joining WHO Affects Global Health Security, Officials Say

09/04/2018 Catherine Saez

TAIPEI, Taiwan - Two years after the victory of Taiwan Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and President Tsai Ing-wen, Taiwan is feeling the effects of the DPP's position against the "One China principle." At the World Health Organization, China is allegedly successfully blocking Taiwan from participating in the annual World Health Assembly, and in a number of WHO technical meetings, officials say. Beyond the political dimension of the dissent between China and Taiwan, the situation may hurt the Taiwanese and global health security, Taiwanese officials said. Continue reading ->

New World Bank Report: World Unprepared To Face Next Inevitable Pandemic

25/05/2017 Catherine Saez

A new report released today by the World Bank shows that the world is not quite prepared to face the next pandemic. As for many other issues, money, or rather the lack of it, is at the heart of the problem, according to the report, which provides 12 recommendations to tackle the issue at the country level. Continue reading ->

Slew Of Side Events At World Health Assembly: Focus On Health Security, SDGs

22/05/2017 Elise De Geyter

The 70th annual World Health Assembly kicked off today with the focus of thousands on the grand plenary hall in United Nations headquarters in Geneva. But in the surrounding rooms and buildings in and outside of the UN, a wide array of side events is taking place. IP-Watch's Global Health Policy News took a look at a selection of these events and found this year a stronger focus has emerged on the subject of health security and the new UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These are occurring alongside the usual disease-specific events and those on various sectors of humanity, the focus on access to medical products, and a variety of other current topics. Continue reading ->

Taiwan Lobbies For Invitation To World Health Assembly, China Firmly Bars The Way

22/05/2017 Catherine Saez

Taiwan will not be allowed to participate in the World Health Assembly (WHA) this year as an observer, the WHA has decided on its opening day. Some hours earlier today, Taiwan’s minister of health gave a press conference to denounce the fact that the country has not been invited by the World Health Organization, and saying that Taiwan needs the WHO, and the WHO needs Taiwan. Continue reading ->

Ukraine Features in WHO Emergencies Debate as Peace Talks Resume in Abu Dhabi

04/02/2026 Elaine Ruth Fletcher

Ukraine and its front-line allies unleashed a storm of criticism over Russia’s relentless attacks on Ukraine’s energy and health infrastructure in WHO’s Executive Board meeting Wednesday – condemning the Russian Federation for “weaponizing winter to make cities go dark, hospitals fail and civilians suffer.” “Russia is systematically attacking healthcare and the civilian lifelines it depends […] Continue reading ->

WHO to Overhaul Global Emergency Care Strategy as 2030 SDGs Fade Out of Reach

04/02/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen

The World Health Organization (WHO) is set for a massive shift in global health priorities with a new emergency care strategy, moving away from isolated hospital “silos” toward a seamless continuum of care. On Tuesday, the Executive Board unanimously adopted a 10-year strategy (2026 to 2035) for Integrated Emergency, Critical, and Operative Care (ECO), positioning […] Continue reading ->

WHO to Consider Extending Definition of NCDs to Include Liver and Blood Diseases

03/02/2026 Kerry Cullinan

Proposals to include steatotic liver disease and haemophilia, and other inherited bleeding disorders, into the definition of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) will be tabled at the World Health Assembly in May, the World Health Organization (WHO) Executive Board (EB) resolved on Tuesday. Egypt, which sponsored the resolution on steatotic liver disease (formerly known as fatty liver […] Continue reading ->

Days After US Leaves WHO, Israel Warns it Faces Pressure to Withdraw

02/02/2026 Kerry Cullinan

Israel has called for a “brave conceptual overhaul” of the World Health Organization (WHO) following the recent withdrawal of the United States, warning that it too is under pressure to leave the global body. Claiming that the WHO has become “too politicised”, Israel told the body’s Executive Board (EB) meeting on Monday that, “in Israel, […] Continue reading ->

A Flag Recaptured: US Exit from WHO Highlights Anger Over COVID-19 Pandemic

27/01/2026 Sophia Samantaroy

A dispute over an American flag has become symbolic of the bitter public dispute between the US and the World Health Organization (WHO) after the US withdrew from the organization on 22 January. In a joint statement by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F Kennedy Jr on […] Continue reading ->