License Key Error.
[Running in limited mode] [Help]

Mon - May 21 -- Tue - May 22

U.S.- Vietnam Partnerships in Health Improving Clinical Trial Practices and Future Health Sectors Collaborations Working Groups: Health & Life Sciences The U.S Embassy in Hanoi and the US-ASEAN Business Council would like to welcome members of the American business community to a stakeholder engagement forum May 21-22, 2012 with the Ministry of Health. Kindly contact Meand Luk mluk@usasean.org by May 10 for registration details

About the Working Group
The US-ASEAN Business Council’s Health and Life Sciences (HLS) Working Group is comprised of 17 multi-national companies that span across 6 sectors; pharmaceuticals, medical-device and diagnostics, over-the-counter consumer goods, health systems strengthening and delivery of care, IT Systems and nutrition. Chaired by Jhpiego, a non-profit organization that focuses on maternal and child health, and vice-chaired by GE Healthcare and GlaxoSmithKline, the working group is premised on the belief that the industry and the public sector can work collaboratively to address the gaps faced in the healthcare environment. The group is committed to building dialogue, identifying commonalities and establishing partnerships with all stakeholders to build sustainable models for health that provide all people with access to affordable, innovative, and quality care.

In 2012, the Working Group looks forward to working with the Ministry of Health and other stakeholders on the following fronts:

• Identify areas of public-private partnership
• Exchange of expertise and knowledge
• Dialogue and stakeholder inputs on policy formulation and implementation to maximize policy effectiveness in achieving the health goals of the country

 

What We Do
Initiatives by the group focus on dialogue with the ASEAN government to work collaboratively in identifying policies and helping to build institutions that enhance each country’s respective health, life science and investment environments. The Health & Life Science Working Group is responsive to the fact that events such as SARS, Avian Influenza and financial crisis’s have challenged public health systems accentuating the need to intensify the dialogue and engagement with ASEAN governments at both a working and senior level and in both health and commerce areas, to facilitate health care reform to achieve better health outcomes.

The Working Group is strengthening its relationship as a committed group of industry experts within regulatory and health care areas with the ASEAN Secretariat. The Group has participated in the ASEAN Working Group on Pharmaceutical Development (AWGPD) and the ASEAN Experts Group on Communicable Diseases (AEGCD) who both report to the ASEAN Senior Officials on Health Development and the ASEAN Consultative Committee on Standard and Quality (ACCSQ) Pharmaceutical Product Working Group (PPWG) meetings.

The Group has convened dialogue sessions with the Ministry of Trade, Singapore, lead for healthcare within the ASEAN Framework Agreement for the Integration of Priority Sectors in ASEAN and Senior Officer, Standards and Conformance Unit, ASEAN Secretariat to discuss the Roadmap for Integration of the Healthcare Sector. Members’ issues are also addressed through their participation in the Council’s Senior Executive Business Missions and the ASEAN Economic Ministers Meetings engaging with Health, Trade and Commerce Ministers. The Group continues to pursue their request for a meeting during the ASEAN Health Ministers Meetings.

The Group has provided opportunities to Members as speakers and participants in regional and international forums including the Medical Device Capacity Building Workshops held prior to the ASEAN Consultative Committee on Standard and Quality (ACCSQ) Medical Device Product Working Group (MDPWG), the APEC Anti-counterfeiting Health Products Seminars and working with Health Sciences Authority, Singapore in the organisation of these seminars as well APEC Life Science Innovation Forum meetings. The Group have hosted ASEAN health officials at breakfast discussions during the APEC Life Science Innovation Forum meetings in Vietnam and Singapore.

A series of three one-day seminars on anti-counterfeiting of medical products in Jakarta, Bangkok and Manila were organised by the Group. These seminars brought together key stakeholders from industry, health and customs government officials, ASEAN Secretariat, academia and the medical and health communities in each country. The Group has hosted health care dialogues in Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam as part of the Council’s Senior Executive Business Missions. These dialogues have initiated discussions, in an in-formal format, on public-private partnerships amongst government, the medical and health community and industry on related health care issues in the country. The dialogues have been led by Senior Officials and the Group’s Chair, Jhpiego.

Individual country challenges have confronted the health and life science industry’s business models. Despite these challenges American companies remain committed to Southeast Asia’s health and life science sector providing new and essential innovative medicines and therapies, medical devices and equipment and offering expertise for capacity building, training and education in the health care forum.

The Working Group has adapted and remained committed to improvements and changes in health care and health policy for ASEAN and its people despite the challenges which have recently tasked this sector and may continue to do so in years to come.