Project Outline: China’s emerging role in global health governance: Navigating between access to medicines and economic development
This study aims to investigate Chinese contributions to global health governance (GHG) with a particular focus on the global governance of access to medicines. The country’s rapid economic growth since the 1980s has led to growing debates about the pace of growth versus access to basic health care in China. A further challenge has been the country’s engagement with the “global health” agenda, with the SARS outbreak sparking a fundamental reassessment of the hitherto domestic focus of the Chinese public health system.
The issue of access to medicines encompasses many of the tensions facing China’s role in global health. Pharmaceuticals are among the largest industries in China. The industry is expected to expand significantly in future, notably in the production of generic drugs, for domestic consumption and export. At the same time, China became a member of the WTO in 2001 which requires adherence to the TRIPS agreement and other relevant regimes. How the country reconciles commercial interests with access to medicines, both domestically and globally, will have significant implications for GHG as a whole.
Aims
The aim of this study is to analyse China’s policy on access to medicines in relation to emerging global governance of trade and health, and what implications this holds for China’s contribution to GHG.
Objectives
1. To review the changing nature of the Chinese pharmaceutical industry in terms of structure, production, and domestic and export market;
2. To describe the governance of intellectual property rights (IPR) in China related to the pharmaceutical industry including adherence to the TRIPS Agreement and other GHG mechanisms;
3. To analyse how Chinese policy makers, practitioners, scholars and civil society groups perceive the challenges of access to medicines;
4. To analyse Chinese perceptions of the IPR and access to medicines issue, notably as played out in other countries such as Thailand, India, Indonesia and Brazil;
5. To locate China’s position on access to medicines within emerging GHG debates; and
6. To draw conclusions about China’s emerging role in global health governance.
Methodology
The research will undertake an analysis of the political economy of China’s pharmaceutical industry and policy on access to medicine. This multi-disciplinary research will draw on theories of economic development, global governance and trade policy. Document analysis will be undertaken of Chinese-language documents concerning access to medicines, including government reports, policies and statements; media coverage; and industry data. It will also review official documents related to China’s participation in international negotiations related to access to medicines such as the Doha Declaration, Paragraph 6 Decision, bilateral trade agreements and virus sharing. Key informant interviews in China and Geneva will be carried out with public officials at the national and international levels, public health practitioners, representatives of the pharmaceutical industry, country trade officials and other relevant experts on China’s role in negotiations.
Key References
(1) Kerry V.B., Lee K. (2007), “TRIPS, the Doha Declaration and Paragraph 6 decision: What are the remaining steps for protecting access to medicines?” Globalization and Health, 3(3).
(2) Fidler D., Drager N., Lee K. (2009), “The trade and health imperative: Managing the pursuit of health and wealth,” Lancet; 373(9660); 26 January: 325-31.
(3) Smith R., Lee K., Drager N. (2009), “Moving the trade and health agenda forward: What are the options?”Lancet.
(4) Chan L.H., Lee P.K., Chan G. China engages global health governance: Processes and dilemmas. Global Public Health 2009; 4(1): 1-30.
How to Apply
When lead institution for these studentships project is the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, applications should please be sent to the LSHTM directly.
Applications must be in writing and must clearly state which studentship you are applying for. Applications should consist of:
- Research Application Form
- Research Applicant Reference Form
- Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form
- a full, original, transcript of the applicant’s academic record
- two-page CV, including names of two academic referees
- a covering letter stating why you wish to do a PhD in this area at the School
- your current postal, e-mail address and telephone number
Please send applications to:
Registry, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, 50 Bedford Square, London WC1B 3DP, United Kingdom.
Tel: +44 (0)20 7299 4646, fax: +44 (0)20 7323 0638 or e-mail: registry@lshtm.ac.uk
Closing date for application: 1 March 2010