‘An Accord for a Healthier World’ aims to provide our full portfolio of patented and off-patent medicines and vaccines for which Pfizer holds global rights on a not-for-profit basis to 1.2 billion people living in 45 lower-income countries around the world.
Watch this video to learn more about the Accord and how we’re working together to help strengthen health systems, speed diagnosis and increase access to our patented and off-patent medicines and vaccines.
Learn More About ‘An Accord for a Healthier World’
No one government, organization or company can close the health equity gap alone. To drive the success of the Accord, we are calling upon global health leaders, global health organizations, country governments, industry leaders, and peers to come together to provide expertise and resources that can help to close the health equity gap and create a healthier world – one where every person can access the innovative medicines and vaccines they need, regardless of where they live or how much they earn.
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Explore how ‘An Accord for a Healthier World’ is working to close the health equity gap.
‘An Accord for a Healthier World’ is a first-of-its-kind initiative to enable sustained, equitable access to high-quality, safe, and effective medicines and vaccines with the potential to improve the health of 1.2 billion people living in 45 lower-income countries around the world.
Through the Accord, we have committed to provide access to the full portfolio for which we have global rights – both patented and off-patent medicines and vaccines – on a not-for-profit basis to these countries. By doing so, we aim to provide breakthrough prevention and treatment options for those impacted by deadly infectious diseases, as well as certain cancers and rare and inflammatory diseases. As we launch new medicines and vaccines, those products will also be included in the Accord portfolio on a not-for-profit basis.
Half of the world’s population cannot access the healthcare they need, and it can take years longer for medicines to reach people in lower- income countries.1,2 The Accord is working to provide breakthrough prevention and treatment options for millions of people impacted by deadly infectious diseases, as well as certain cancers and rare and inflammatory diseases. It also includes a wide range of antibiotics, that can help to address the rising morbidity, mortality and costs associated with antimicrobial resistance and help prevent around 1.5 million deaths that occur each year in these countries as a result of bacterial infections in hospitals and community health clinics.3
Alongside governments and multi-sector global health organizations, the Accord aims to co-create solutions to address systemic barriers to better health.
We are focused on working together to find faster, more efficient pathways for supply of medicines and vaccines as well as strengthening the resources, capabilities and platforms that help enable quick, yet sustainable access to those medicines within the public health system, including technical expertise, training, diagnostic capacity, innovative financing, and more.
Since the Accord’s launch, Pfizer has engaged with governments in the majority of the 45 Accord-eligible lower-income countries and we are in advanced conversations to explore opportunities to advance health equity. We are working closely with government and health experts in the five initial launch counties – Rwanda, Ghana, Malawi, Senegal and Uganda – and are focused on listening and understanding the health needs of these countries to identify how the Accord can most effectively support national health goals and impact patient lives.
The Accord also aims to establish faster access to Pfizer’s future pipeline medicines and vaccines on a not-for-profit-basis to the 45 countries, particularly those that treat diseases that disproportionately impact global health.
Since its launch in May 2022, the Accord is taking important steps to help enable greater access to healthcare. Learn more about our journey.
- World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2022
In May 2022 at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting, Pfizer launched ‘An Accord for a Healthier World’ to provide access to all of our patented medicines and vaccines available in the U.S. or European Union on a not-for-profit basis to 45 lower-income countries around the world. In addition, we began working with health officials in Rwanda, Ghana, Malawi, Senegal and Uganda to identify early insights and opportunities to help address system-level barriers that limit or prevent medicines from reaching those in need.
- Advancing Vaccine Development for Future Access
Children in low-income countries are 10 times less likely to reach their fifth birthday compared to those in high-income countries.4 Under the Accord, and with funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Pfizer is advancing the development of vaccine candidates for the prevention of Group B Streptococcus (GBS)—a leading cause of stillbirth and newborn mortality in low-income countries. Pfizer is also exploring opportunities to support other maternal vaccines, including Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) vaccine development.
“If successful and approved or licensed, Pfizer’s vaccine candidates against GBS and RSV could have a profound impact on the health of young infants at a time when they are most vulnerable against these potentially devastating infections, particularly in lower-income countries where prevalence is higher,” said Annaliesa Anderson, Ph.D., senior vice president and chief scientific officer, vaccine research and development, Pfizer. “As part of ‘An Accord for a Healthier World’, focused on establishing access to our medicines and vaccines on a not-for-profit basis, the support for the vaccine candidates from the Gates Foundation will enable faster and more equitable deployment of the vaccines to these regions.”
- Accord Product Arrival in Rwanda
Rwanda was the first country to receive a delivery of Pfizer patent-protected medicines and vaccines through the Accord, which included nine medicines and vaccines to help treat or prevent life-threatening infectious diseases, inflammatory diseases and certain cancers.
“In partnership with Pfizer and ‘An Accord for a Healthier World,’, we are proud to provide rapid and affordable access to these Pfizer medicines and vaccines, which have the power to save and improve patient lives all across Rwanda,” said The Minister of Health, Dr. Daniel Ngamije.
Together, the Rwandan Ministry of Health and Pfizer are working to provide professional healthcare education and training to support Rwandan medical specialists and in November 2022, Pfizer deployed its first Global Health Team to the country to help identify opportunities for long-term supply chain optimization.
- Collaborating to Strengthen Health Systems
During the 77th Session of the UN General Assembly, Pfizer hosted a convening with more than 100 global health, development and finance leaders from around the world to discuss how we can collaborate to strengthen health systems and create innovative health financing.
In December 2022, Pfizer attended the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit, hosted by The White House, to meet with African leaders and discuss ways to improve access to innovative healthcare solutions on the continent and beyond. During the Summit, Albert Bourla, Pfizer Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, spoke to attendees about the Accord’s progress. Watch his remarks above.
We continue to collaborate with country governments and global health organizations to help close the health equity gap.
- World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2023
In January 2023 at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting, we announced the expansion of the Accord to help enable access to the full portfolio for which Pfizer holds global rights – both patented and off-patent medicines and vaccines - to all 45 Accord-eligible countries on a not-for-profit basis to better align with disease burden and unmet patient needs in these countries.
Countries in ‘An Accord for a Healthier World’
Leading the Way
The Accord is calling on global health leaders and organizations to join us to strengthen health systems and speed access to medicines and vaccines that can save and improve lives. Hear about how we’re working to close the health equity gap for everyone, everywhere.
Chief Executive Officer and Chairman, Pfizer
We are working closely with global health leaders to make improvements in diagnosis, education, infrastructure, storage, and more. Only when all the obstacles are overcome can we end healthcare inequities and deliver for all patients.
Bill Gates
Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
An Accord for a Healthier World could help millions more people in low-income countries get the tools they need to live a healthy life. Pfizer is setting an example for other companies to follow.
His Excellency Paul Kagame
President of Rwanda
Combined with additional investments in strengthening Africa’s public health systems and pharmaceutical regulators, the Accord is an important step toward sustainable health security for countries at every income level.
His Excellency Lazarus Chakwera
President of Malawi
The great thing about this Accord is that it helps low-income countries without violating their dignity and agency as people, for it is a true partnership that involves both Pfizer and countries like Malawi sharing the burden of costs and tasks in the production and delivery of supplies that will save millions of lives.
Sources
- https://www.who.int/news/item/13-12-2017-world-bank-and-who-half-the-world-lacks-access-to-essential-health-services-100-million-still-pushed-into-extreme-poverty-because-of-health-expenses#:~:text=At%20least%20half%20of%20the,out%20of%20their%20own%20po….
- Ahonkhai V, Martins SF, Portet A, Lumpkin M, Hartman D. Speeding access to vaccines and medicines in low- and middle-income countries: A case for change and a framework for Optimized Product Market Authorization. PLOS ONE. 2016;11(11). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0166515
- Internal calculations based on Global mortality associated with 33 bacterial pathogens in 2019: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019 (sciencedirectassets.com)
- https://data.unicef.org/topic/child-survival/under-five-mortality/