Transcript Pfizer / WHO-TDR Research Collaboration

Working with Non-Governmental
Agencies: Our African Experience
Dr Jack Watters
Vice President
External Medical Affairs, International
Pfizer (EMAI)
The Fiction…
The Reality…
Pfizer in Africa
• Traditional role of a pharmaceutical company in developing and
marketing medicines:
– Offices in over 20 African countries
• Pfizer’s broad commitment to improving health:
much more than just medicines:
• Pfizer has many ongoing African health initiatives such as:
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Diflucan Partnership
Mobilize Against Malaria
Steve Biko Centre
International Trachoma Initiative
Infectious Disease Institute
Scholarships, training
The Reality… Diflucan Partnership Program
Ensures donation
of authentic
Diflucan
Managed Access
Channels: Customs,
Suitability of Clinics
Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI)
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NGO Founded 2004, Kampala,
Independent Board of Directors
Founding Partnership
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Pfizer
Academic Alliance Foundation
Makerere University
Infectious Diseases Society of
America
Treats over 9000 HIV patients per
year at internal clinic; 3000+ at
local Kampala clinics
Trained over 2500 healthcare
workers from 26 African countries
~30 ongoing research projects
IDI Partnership:
Key Success Factors
• Clear initial vision, goal:
“to build capacity in Africa for the delivery of sustainable, high quality
care and prevention of HIV/AIDS and related diseases through training
and research”
• Strong institutional support at highest levels
– Pfizer CEO
– Makerere University Dean of Medical Faculty
– President of IDSA
• Political Will in Uganda
• Strong scientific and academic basis
• Realistic and Sustained external funding stewardship
– At initiation
– During transition of self-sufficiency
EMAI – Priority Issues and Partners
Issues
Partners
Academia
Access
Governments
NGOs
Capacity
Ethics
MDs
Nurses
MLOs
Health Care
Health Care Organizations
Partnerships
 POLITICAL WILL
Working With African Science
• If you want scientific or medical advice, talk to scientists or doctors!
• Keep discussion at professional level
– Initial basis for strong relationship
– Supersedes cultural or political differences
• Peer-to-Peer relationship
– Not “north-south”
– Do not focus of resource differences, look for resource synergies
• Broaden the relationship beyond financial support: add intellectual
capital to the discussion
• Look for the broader social context of a medical issue and link
advice to action
• Separate the discussion from needs of the [Pfizer] business