Together with the Trans Atlantic Consumer Dialogue (TACD), HAI Europe is currently finalising a policy paper on biomedical innovation for the European level. Sophie Bloemen and David Hammerstein are now making the last edits to the paper and it should be out soon. At our conference in the European Parliament: Horizon 2020: Investing in the Common Good on November 30, we took the opportunity to introduce the policy paper with an Executive Summary to all participants. Some key points of the Summary are covered below.

The current model of biomedical innovation tends to enclose knowledge using intellectual property (IP) rights that are meant to be rewarded in exchange for innovation. However, driven by today’s social and economic reality this model of innovation often fails to take into account economic sustainability, does not always deliver needs-oriented innovation, and tends to neglect the least wealthy parts of the world’s population including many European Union (EU) citizens. The Horizon 2020 EU Research and Innovation Framework provides the EU with an opportunity to make socially responsible choices that lead to new sustainable models of innovation which contribute to the common good.

In light of Horizon 2020 and the Innovation Union agenda, this Policy Brief offers an overview of the most important contemporary discussions, initiatives and proposals on biomedical innovation, and provides recommendations to European institutions on how to become leaders in exploring new and complementary models of innovation, establishing a truly innovative research agenda while implementing their commitments to Health Equity within the EU and to Global Health. Business as usual is no longer an option.

Various proposals and projects have been developed by governments, civil society, academics and industry which promote access and innovation. These include;

Socially responsible IP management or Equitable licensing

Open Source research

Voluntary licenses to the Medicines Patent Pool

Product Development Partnerships (PDPs)

Innovation inducement prizes

Intergovernmental Instrument on Coordinating & Financing of Biomedical R & D

The EU´s Horizon 2020 project should condition any release of knowledge property to a business plan that conforms to ethical, social and environmental objectives in accordance with the public interest. Furthermore, for the EU to be a leader in technological innovation, it needs to take a broader perspective and look at key developments in open source research and open medicine. The upcoming Horizon 2020 EU Research and Innovation Framework provides the EU with an opportunity to make socially responsible choices that lead to new sustainable models of innovation which contribute to the common good.

The full Executive Summary can be found here.