A global dialogue on promoting affordable access and market transparency in health products

 

In 2019, the World Health Assembly adopted Resolution WHA 72.8 on Improving the transparency of markets for medicines, vaccines, and other health products. The resolution requests the Director-General, inter alia, “To continue its efforts to biennially convene the Fair Pricing Forum with Member States and all relevant stakeholders to discuss the affordability and transparency of prices and costs relating to health products.”

In line with this mandate, the Forum brings together diverse stakeholders, including representatives from WHO Member States, UN and international agencies, external donors and development partners, WHO collaborating centers, Academic experts, and WHO staff from Headquarters, regional and country offices. 

The general objectives are to:

  • share experiences between participants about existing and planned efforts to enhance market transparency across the pharmaceutical value chain, with reference to WHA72.8, 2019;
  • assess current and emerging health system challenges to ensure optimal access to affordable health products; and,
  • discuss with all stakeholders the current and future potential policies and strategies for improving the affordability of essential medicines and essential health products, in light of current trends and initiatives.

 

Fair Pricing Forum 2024

The 2024 Forum continued the tradition of encouraging rich dialogue among various stakeholders, following the first Forum in Amsterdam (The Netherlands) in 2017, the second Forum in Johannesburg (South Africa) in 2019, and the third Forum held virtually (co-hosted with Argentina) in 2021.

Meeting report coming soon!

The Fair Pricing Forum 2024 meeting report will be published here by August 2025. Please check back!

Fair Pricing Forum 2021

The third Fair Pricing Forum was held online on 13-15 and 20-22 April 2021 to continue the tradition of encouraging dialogue among various stakeholders.

Fair Pricing Forum 2019

Fair pricing forum 2019 meeting report
Johannesburg, South Africa, 11-13 April 2019

The second Fair Pricing Forum, held 11-13 April 2019 in Johannesburg, was hosted and co-organized by the South African National Department of Health together with WHO.

Fair Pricing Forum 2017

Fair pricing forum 2017 meeting report
Amsterdam, The Netherlands - 11 May 2017

The first Fair Pricing Forum was held on 11 May 2017 in Amsterdam, hosted by the Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport in collaboration with WHO.


Forum discussion papers

Fair pricing forum 2021: forum discussion paper: aligning incentives for pharmaceutical innovation to achieve fair pricing 
Fair pricing forum 2021: forum discussion paper: aligning incentives for pharmaceutical innovation to achieve fair pricing. World Health Organization....
Fair pricing forum 2021: overview discussion paper: fair pricing in times of public health emergency and to accelerate achievements of sustainable development goals health targets 
Overview discussion paper: fair pricing in times of public health emergency and to accelerate achievements of sustainable development goals health targets.
Fair pricing forum 2021: forum discussion paper: pricing approaches sensitive to health systems’ ability to pay and the need for accelerating towards health sustainable development goal 
World Health Organization. (‎2021)‎. Fair pricing forum 2021: forum discussion paper: pricing approaches sensitive to health systems’ ability to pay and...