Chief Executive Officers of the world’s largest generic and biosimilar medicines companies met in Vienna on 15 May 2024 to provide strategic advice to the International Generic and Biosimilar Medicines Association (IGBA). The generics and biosimilars sector, which supplies 70 to 90% of prescribed medicines around the world, is united in seeking to enable innovation and competition to improve patients’ access to quality-assured, safe and cost-effective medicines.

As the international representative organization of the generic and biosimilar medicines industry, IGBA joins the WHO and Member States in reaffirming the importance of multisectoral collaboration to safeguard human health and build stronger, more resilient health systems. In an open letter concerning the International Negotiating Body (INB) negotiations of the Pandemic Agreement, dated January 2024, our association expressed it support to having an international legal instrument for the achievement of access to cost-effective, quality-assured, safe, and effective medicines. With the aim to take part of the public debate, in the framework of the 9th meeting of the INB, we would respectfully like to present a new round of observations.

We welcome the Executive Board (EB) report on noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and WHO’s continued efforts to tackle one of the greatest health challenges of our lifetimes. With childhood obesity and diabetes on an alarming rise, alongside population ageing, urbanization, climate change, air pollution amongst other factors, a life-course approach to tackling NCDs is critical given the unsustainable pressures chronic conditions and comorbidities are placing on healthcare systems worldwide.