Event Description

On May 18th, we hosted a discussion with government officials on plans to restore US leadership for global health.

Governments around the world failed to contain COVID-19, with more than 3.2 million deaths and counting. Even before the pandemic, the United States was questioning its commitments to global health, its leadership role, and a system of progressive prices for medicines whereby the rich pay more to subsidize access for the poor. The pandemic is far from over: cases are surging today in India, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Mexico, Russia, Turkey, Iran, Poland, Ukraine. Now, with the unprecedented pace of effective vaccine development and a new Administration in Washington, the US is called upon to lead again.

Beth Cameron (US National Security Council) and Loyce Pace (US Department of Health and Human Services) discussed plans to restore US leadership for global health.

Panelists

• Beth Cameron, US National Security Council
• Loyce Pace, US Department of Health and Human Services

Recommended Reading

• Dec 1, 2020: Lancet article: A global health action agenda for the Biden administration
• Feb 18, 2021: White House Fact Sheet: President Biden to Take Action on Global Health through Support of COVAX and Calling for Health Security Financing
• April 19, 2021: Statement on the seventh meeting of the International Health Regulations (2005) Emergency Committee regarding the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic
• May 5, 2021: Statement from Ambassador Katherine Tai on the Covid-19 Trips Waiver
• May 12, 2021: Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator Facilitation Council meeting

This event is co-sponsored by the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University and the Petrie-Flom Center for Health Law Policy, Biotechnology, and Bioethics at Harvard Law School.