UAEM University Global Health Impact Report Rates UBC #1

UBC tops first University Global Health Impact Report Card

The University of British Columbia  ranked first among 54 North American universities in the University Global Health Impact Report Card, published on April 4, 2013, the first such report produced by the student-based group Universities Allied for Essential Medicines (UAEM).

The only university to achieve an overall A- grade, UBC scored well for its commitment to licensing medical discoveries in ways that promote access and affordability in developing countries, reflecting the formal strategy developed by the University in 2007 in partnership with the UBC chapter of UAEM.

An effective and affordable treatment for leishmaniasis, a deadly disease that afflicts 12 million people, is now being developed with iCo Therapeutics as a result of one of the first licensing agreements to reflect this strategy. UBC has also launched a Neglected Global Diseases Initiative (NGDI) which has created an innovation hub for researchers to tackle medical issues of particular concern for the developing world.

The UAEM promotes access to medicines and medical innovations in low- and middle-income countries, and the report card evaluates how the research, patent and licensing practices of leading North American universities impact global health issues. Information was gathered via published data and university surveys, and performances were assessed in the categories of innovation, access and empowerment.

UBC received an A in the access category for socially responsible licensing practices, a B for innovation in neglected disease research, with strong marks for establishing the NGDI, and a B for empowerment through global health education, thanks to its graduate courses and conferences.

“The results are a positive endorsement of our commitment to tackling issues of global health at UBC and to providing access to new health discoveries to those most in need,” commented Angus Livingstone, Managing Director of the UBC University-Industry Liaison Office, responsible for the licensing of new UBC research discoveries. ”We have been very fortunate to be able to work with forward-thinking industry partners such as iCo Therapeutics, and with an increasing acceptance of social responsibility and the need for more open collaboration, we hope that in the coming years, partnerships such as this can generate major impacts on global health.”

Dr. Kishor Wasan, director and co-founder of the UBC Neglected Global Diseases Initiative, and CIHR/iCo Therapeutics Research Chair in Drug Delivery for Neglected Global Diseases, said, “This honour is a reflection of the great passion and commitment of our students. The partnership and collaboration between UAEM and NGDI has helped foster this ranking and we are indebted to everyone that has supported this initiative to develop interventions for neglected global diseases and ensure their delivery to those in need.”

Other stories on topic. UAEM Press Release: First of Its Kind Report Card Shows Major Universities Falling Short on Life-Saving Research for the Developing World
Vancouver Sun: UBC Drug Researchers Win Prestigious Prize
New York Times: Universities Get Middling Grades in Helping Poor
Toronto Star: U of T falling behind in research of neglected tropical diseases, report says
The Chronicle of Higher Education: ‘Report Card’ Faults Research Universities’ Impact on Global Health
IPS Inter Press Service News Agency: Universities “Not Living up to Missions” on Global Health Research