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.

The International Generic and Biosimilar Medicines Association (IGBA), giving voice to the manufacturers of quality-assured, safe, and cost-effective generic and biosimilar medicines, welcomes the World Health Organization Executive Board’s focus on the Three Billion Targets in the EB154 agenda, linking the learnings from the General Programme of Work 13 (GPW13) to the newly developed GPW14 to accelerate progress in global health.

The generic and biosimilar medicines industry globally, represented by the International Generic and Biosimilar medicines Association (IGBA), supplies the overwhelming majority of prescription medicines to patients worldwide, and strongly supports ongoing multilateral efforts to achieve a robust WHO Pandemic Agreement.