• access to data on prices and markets, for instance the relative share of generic vs. brand name drugs, and R&D capacity in developing countries;

• concrete recommendations on optimum prize amounts to incentivize useful innovation;

• better understanding of the links between national priorities/programmes and international processes;

• more work on governance models for prizes;

• research into the real cost of monopolies on drug prices;

• dialogue with public research bodies and industry, including WIPO.
  
  

There was also a sense that action to stimulate medical research needs to be taken sooner, rather than later.

"There are no neglected diseases, just neglected people. We have been talking for over 10 years. It is now time to act," concluded Kenyan health official Ahmed Ogwell.

UNU-MERIT is organizing a follow up panel discussion at UN Headquarters in New York in March.

The Medical Prizes workshop programme, presentations and background papers are online at: http://ccg.merit.unu.edu/prizefund/

For more information:

KEI:
Malini Aisola

+1-202-332-2670 ext. 10

UNU-MERIT:
Karsten Gerloff

+31 43 3884479

About Knowledge Ecology International (KEI) www.keionline.org/

KEI searches for better outcomes, including new solutions, to the management of knowledge resources. KEI undertakes and publishes research and new ideas, engages in global public interest advocacy, provides technical advice to governments, NGOs and firms, enhances transparency of policy making, monitors actions of key actors, and provides forums for interested persons to discuss and debate KE topics.

About UNU-MERIT www.merit.unu.edu

UNU-MERIT is the United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and social Research and training Centre on Innovation and Technology.

Located in Maastricht, The Netherlands, UNU-MERIT is a joint research and training centre of United Nations University (based in Tokyo, Japan) and Maastricht University. UNU-MERIT provides insights into the social, political and economic contexts within which innovation and technological change is created, adapted, selected, diffused, and improved upon. The Institute's research and training programmes address a broad range of relevant policy questions dealing with the national and international governance of innovation, intellectual property protection, and knowledge creation and diffusion.

The Collaborative Creativity Group at UNU-MERIT is a leading research group on open source software, open content, and collaborative creativity and innovation.