WHO report discusses financing, coordinating R&D for health needs in developing countries

This post on IntraHealth International's "Global Health Blog" discusses a new report (.pdf) from the WHO, titled "Research and Development to Meet Health Needs in Developing Countries: Strengthening Global Financing and Coordination," which "concludes that 'all countries should commit to spend at least 0.01 percent of GDP on government-funded R&D [research and development] devoted to meeting the health needs of developing countries.'" The post states, "The report has a double significance. First, it is a vigorous statement of the need for a binding agreement on health innovation to address diseases that mostly affect developing countries. Second, it is an important concrete step on the long path to it" (Chiscop, 4/13).