Biomedical research should be driven by people’s health needs and underpinned by the universal right of all
human beings to the highest attainable standard of health. The Global Charter for the Advancement of Equitable
Biomedical Research and Development aims to build consensus on the key principles and practices needed to achieve
a more just and equitable approach to R&D. It builds on previous work done by numerous international agencies,
expert committees, civil society groups and academia, including the WHO Consultative Expert Working Group on
R&D (CEWG) and the UN High Level Panel on Access to Medicines.
Agreeing that:
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We must prioritize the health and wellbeing of people over the drive for profits, and support
policies and models of funding that incentivize research to most directly benefit the public;
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Today’s profit-centered model of biomedical R&D has proven ill-suited to address the health needs of
all people worldwide;
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To maximize the health impact of biomedical R&D, we need a new approach to R&D that delivers genuine
innovation that is accessible and affordable for all, and that is governed by equitable principles
and practices;
We hereby affirm that an equitable global approach to biomedical R&D should apply the following principles
and practices:
