Devex: Discord looms over WHO board meeting
“The World Health Organization is expected to confront two controversial issues during the executive board’s 144th session, opening Thursday, as stakeholders gather to discuss its reports on access to medicine, as well as proposals on its engagement with nonstate actors. As in previous years, member states are likely to spend considerable time on the issue of access to medicines, vaccines, and other health products. The source of discontent this time surrounds WHO’s draft roadmap on the issue for 2019-2023, and its report on cancer medicines…” (Ravelo, 1/24).

Intellectual Property Watch: WHO Cancer Report Stirs Debate On Eve Of Board Meeting
“As the World Health Organization Executive Board gathers [Thursday] for its annual January meeting, health industry and advocacy groups have seized on a WHO report to be presented to the Board that finds high prices for cancer medicines are ‘impairing’ governments’ ability to provide affordable treatments. One issue they may have in common is a desire for more transparency in analyses of prices…” (New, 1/23).

STAT: The World Health Organization says cancer drug prices are ‘impairing’ access to treatment
“In a sobering report, the World Health Organization concluded that pricing for cancer medicines is ‘impairing’ the ability of governments to provide affordable treatments and recommended a host of potential measures for widening access, such as greater transparency about discounts and R&D costs, differential pricing among countries, and short-term price caps, among other things…” (Silverman, 1/23).