What kind of organization is the Global Forum for Health Research?

The Global Forum is an independent international, nongovernmental organization committed to demonstrating the essential role of research and innovation for health and health equity. The goal is research that benefits the health of poor and marginalized populations.

The Global Forum's objectives are to prioritize the global research agenda, increase coherence among research for health actors and expand the use of evidence in policy. To achieve these objectives, the Global Forum assists, links and influences decision-makers in funding, research and policy by a) providing impartial evidence, practical tools and intelligence for informed decision-making; b) nurturing social networks, coalitions and communities of practice leading to comprehensive solutions; and c) advocating for changes in the priorities, resources and policies so they benefit the health of poor populations.

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Where is the Global Forum located?

The Global Forum is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland close to international organizations such as the World Health Organization, the International Labour Organization, the International Committee of the Red Cross, the United Nations Office at Geneva, the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development and the World Intellectual Property Organization. Contact details, map and mailing address available here.

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How many people work at the Global Forum?

The Global Forum is small and nimble, made up of a team of 18. The team is extremely committed, knowledgeable and experienced and thus has been able to consistently deliver high-quality spaces for interaction, evidence and decision-maker tools to improve the health of poor populations. See the current staff list here.

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When and why was the Global Forum created?

The Global Forum was established in 1998 with a mission to help reduce inequities in health research and the allocation of health research expenditures. In its 1996 report Investing in Health Research and Development, the Ad Hoc Committee on Health Research recommended establishing a "Forum for Investors in International Health R&D" to help focus resources more sharply on completing the highest priority tasks before moving on to others. The forum was to bring together the governments of low-income and middle-income countries, the major traditional "donors" and the research community. This recommendation led to the creation of the Global Forum for Health Research.

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How is the Global Forum financed?

The Global Forum is a foundation operating under Swiss law. It has a foundation capital of US$1 million. The budget of its Secretariat for 2007 amounted to US$4 million. Since its establishment, the Global Forum has received support from the World Bank, the World Health Organization, the Rockefeller Foundation and the governments of Canada, Denmark, Ireland, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland. Brazil became a supporter in 2009.

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What are the "in-kind" contributions made to the Global Forum and how are they valued?

The Global Forum welcomes financial, human and technical contributions. In-kind contributions may take the form of mirrors of the Global Forum's web site in languages other than English, secondments, office space, conference venues free of charge or translation of Global Forum publications.

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How transparent is the Global Forum about its financing?

Every year, one of the world's leading auditing firms audits the accounts of the Global Forum, which then submits an Operations Report to the Swiss authorities. Furthermore, the Global Forum's Annual Reviews provide the financial highlights.

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How is the Global Forum governed?

The Global Forum has a governing body assisted by a sub-committee:

1. The Foundation Council is the highest policy- and decision-making body. It is composed of up to 25 representatives of government policy-makers, development agencies, foundations, NGOs, women's organizations, research-oriented bodies, private commercial enterprises and the media. Its responsibilities include setting overall policy and strategic directions, adopting the workplan and budget, approving the annual report and audited accounts as well as commissioning external evaluations of the Global Forum.

   Currently, the Council is chaired by Dr Gill Samuels, a distinguished scientist whose background is solidly in research: she is a physiologist and neuropharmacologist by training, who has made an active contribution to the discovery of several new medicines, as well as working in science policy and promoting women in science.

2. A Strategic and Technical Advisory Committee (STRATEC) assists the Foundation Council. It is composed of six members selected from Council members and has its own chair.

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There seem to be many organizations involved in research, health and development. Isn't there overlap and duplication?

Since the Global Forum's inception more than ten years ago, new funding mechanisms and philanthropic organizations, a myriad of public-private and product development partnerships and innovative developing countries have emerged, and powerful groups are increasingly negotiating and making decisions about global health. Using its track record, neutrality and convening power, the Global Forum is uniquely positioned to increase coordination and coherence among the many actors.

This is why "increasing coherence" is one of the Global Forum's three core objectives in its new strategy 2008-2014. Increased coherence ensures that the funding and conduct of research are adequate, efficient, effective and consistent; improve health and health equity; and mutually reinforce and align the efforts of global and national decision-makers while ensuring that countries determine their own priorities in their health research systems.

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How does the Global Forum help increase coherence among the many actors active in research for health and development?

The Global Forum engages a critical mass of key actors in research for health in a cross-boundary dialogue leading to comprehensive rather than piecemeal solutions. It catalyses and convenes coalitions within and across disciplines, geographical borders and sectors as diverse as health, education, finance, transport and environment to synergise efforts. Important Global Forum platforms are the annual meeting for physical interactions and the web site for year-round exchange and collaborative work.

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Who does the Global Forum work with?

Partnerships and collaboration are integral to the Global Forum’s principles of inclusion and to making most impact with limited resources. The Global Forum works jointly with international organizations, nongovernmental organizations and public-private partnerships, research institutes, governments and the private sector on specific projects such as studies, publications and meetings. In addition, the Global Forum is often invited to provide expert opinion to high-level groups such as the Inter-Governmental Working Group (IGWG) on Public Health, Innovation and Intellectual Property; or as a contributor to the High-Level Forum on Medicines for Neglected and Emerging Infectious Diseases, which agreed on the "Noordwijk Medicines Agenda".

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What is the relationship between the Global Forum and the World Health Organization (WHO)?

The World Health Organization was a co-founder of the Global Forum for Health Research and has been a supporter since 1998. While the Global Forum is a fully independent organization, the Global Forum and WHO have been collaborating on numerous projects, such as ministerial conferences, research agenda setting and capacity strengthening.

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What is the relationship between the Global Forum and the Council on Health Research for Development (COHRED)?

The Council on Health Research for Development (COHRED) was established in 1993, following the seminal 1990 Report of the Commission on Health Research for Development. COHRED initially focused on promoting Essential National Health Research, aiming to strengthen the capacity and voice of low- and middle-income countries. More recently, COHRED has been a major proponent of building and strengthening National Health Research Systems. Working with countries, and learning from them, is central to the strategy. Its focus is therefore complementary to that of the Global Forum. To benefit from synergies, the Global Forum and COHRED have been working together on numerous projects. Recent examples include the Global Ministerial Forum on Research for Health and the First Latin American Conference on Research and Innovation for Health.

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How does the Global Forum relate to private commercial enterprises, in particular pharmaceutical companies?

The Global Forum is uniquely positioned to engage with private commercial enterprises because it is neutral and independent of political and commercial influence. In any interactions that it may develop with the private sector, the Global Forum places paramount importance on safeguarding its integrity of values. To this end, the Global Forum seeks to avoid any actual or perceived conflict of interest in any dealings and exercises due diligence in all such dealings; open public access to information is a guiding principle on which the Global Forum operates.

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How can I support the Global Forum?

There are many ways you can support the Global Forum. You can join a Global Forum community, collaborate with the Global Forum on projects, submit an essay as part of the Young Voices competition, attend and help shape the annual Forum meeting or submit an event for the Events Calendar, to name a few. An organization can support the Global Forum financially. You will find many ways of engagement here, or send us an email to [email protected]. We look forward to engaging with you. Every voice counts to bring about change.

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How can I join the Global Forum?

As soon as they become available, job opportunities are advertised here.

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Why should I care about research?

Health is a moving target so it is important to constantly invest in new research. When the fruits of research have been applied to health problems, including in low- and middle-income countries, the benefits of these innovations have been dramatic. On average, people live longer and healthier lives thanks to more widespread access in the 20th century to better medicines, safe water, sanitation, food and education among other things. Furthermore, low- and middle-income countries such as Brazil, Chile, China, Cuba, India, South Africa and Thailand have demonstrated that investing in research and innovation goes hand in hand with better health and economic growth. Determinants of health are also changing (e.g. climate change, lifestyles and population ageing), so we must remain vigilant and constantly strive to create better health for all through research. Prioritizing and increasing funding for research that improves health and health equity is one way to achieve this.

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Why should I care about research for the health of poor populations?

Despite the above-mentioned markers of progress, inequities persist. For instance, 7 out of 10 deaths in under-5 children occur in low- and middle-income countries. And what countries spend on health per citizen varies dramatically, from US$10 in low-income countries to more than US$ 2000 in high-income countries. Yet, promoting health and health equity is in all our interest. Firstly, the right to health is an ethical imperative and has been established in a wide range of global conventions and treaties: all human beings have the right to equal opportunities, including to enjoy the highest attainable level of health. Second, in a globalizing world, rich countries cannot isolate themselves from insecurity: poverty and weak health systems are vulnerable to disease outbreaks, conflicts and natural disasters that know no borders. And third, investments in the health of poor populations make economic sense: they have been proven to reduce poverty and yield higher rates of return than virtually any other investment that a government can make. Investing in the health of poor populations benefits everyone.

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What is the difference between health research and research for health?

The concept of "research for health" has emerged over a number of years represents a significant paradigm shift in global health. It signals a long-overdue recognition that a range of factors both inside and outside the health sector have a positive or negative impact on health. These factors, or ‘determinats of health’ include employment, nutrition, transport, water and sanitation, environmental resources, eco-systems, legal protection of rights, governance, systems and economic equity and growth. This is why any research that is undertaken to advance current knowledge about health must be "research for health," which encompasses biomedical, social, economic and environmental sciences. The Global Forum has been an advocate for this paradigm shift for many years and is pleased to see that it has now been embraced by the broader global health community. "Research for health" was the theme of the Global Ministerial Forum taking place in Bamako in November 2008 and was central to the Call to Action issued by ministerial delegations attending this meeting.

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What is the difference between research and innovation?

The Global Forum sees innovation as the creation, development and implementation of a new product, process or service, with the aim of improving efficiency, effectiveness or competitive advantage. Innovation may apply to products, services, manufacturing processes, managerial processes or the design of an organization.

Research is one component of an innovation system. Other components of a technological innovation system include research, intellectual property, manufacturing, markets and regulation, while education and financing underlie all these components. Similarly, components of a social innovation system may include research, knowledge translation, policy development, changing practices and delivery. "Innovation" thus encompasses the entire process from the generation of ideas, to their transformation into something useful, to their implementation. "Research" can generate new ideas, including more effective, efficient and equitable solutions to global health challenges. Ensuring that those ideas can be scaled up and implemented, from knowledge to policy to action, requires both social and technological innovation. One of the three thematic priorities of the Global Forum is to strengthen innovation for health and health equity in low- and middle-income countries.

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What is the difference between research and evidence?

Scientific research involves performing a methodical (systematic and rigorous) study to investigate a phenomenon, or to answer a specific question. In a general sense, research is the process of gathering data, information and facts and exploring cause-and-effect relationships to advance knowledge. Evidence is the knowledge, obtained by measurement, observation or research, that is helpful in reaching a conclusion, proving a fact or making a decision. One of the three objectives of the Global Forum is to expand the use of research evidence in policy-making.

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Is the Global Forum involved in building research capacity in countries?

Based on analysis of successes and failures of research capacity strengthening (RCS) in the health field in low- and middle-income countries, the Global Forum promotes national health research systems as the comprehensive framework within which RCS should be undertaken. The Global Forum does not provide direct assistance to countries, for instance, in the form of research training, but provides tools and methodologies to promote capacity strengthening in a number aspects of the research system, including resource tracking and research prioritization. For instance, by monitoring global and country investments in R&D for health and identifying funding and research trends, overlaps and gaps, the Global Forum advocates for research agendas to be prioritized and appropriately funded. The Global Forum has provided a mapping tool, the Combined Approach Matrix, to assist the prioritization process.

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Does the Global Forum offer scholarships or grants to carry out research?

The Global Forum is not a funding agency and hence does not offer scholarships or grant programmes. Its mission is to demonstrate the essential role of research and innovation for health and health equity through three core functions: assisting (through evidence and tools, not funding), linking and influencing decision-makers in funding, research and policy.

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I am doing research. Where should I start looking for information?

The Global Forum provides impartial evidence, tools and intelligence for decision-makers in research, funding and policy to improve the health of poor and marginalized populations everywhere through research. Begin by looking at the list of " Research issues" to see what the Global Forum has been working on since its inception in 1998. Almost every research issue provides read-ons (events, publications, press releases, etc.). Another entry point is the " Publications" section where you can search more than 65 Global Forum publications and documents by a range of meta-data including category, title, author/editor, year, keywords and series. A third option is to visit the " Links" section where you will find a non-exhaustive list of links to organizations active in health, research and development. Finally, the "Index" section provides a list of keywords that link to the respective read-ons on the web site.

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I am a young researcher. What can the Global Forum do for me?

The Global Forum engages with young researchers and leaders of tomorrow through an annual essay competition. Since 2006, the Global Forum and the scientific journal The Lancet have been jointly running the competition "Young Voices in Research for Health". Young professionals (under 30) working on or interested in the broad spectrum of research for health are invited to submit original, provocative, idealistic and passionate ideas on yearly topics (2009: Innovating for the health of all; 2008: Climate change; 2007: Equitable access, 2006: Combating disease and promoting health), taking established practices to task in a constructive fashion to spur many to action. The 5-6 regional winners are invited to the Global Forum's annual forum, with all expenses paid. All shortlisted essays (around 40 each year) are published in a compilation and featured one by one on the Global Forum's home page throughout the year.

In addition, young people in general are encouraged to participate in the annual Forum event and to submit abstracts and ideas for inclusion in the programme.

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I am a young researcher. How can I get in touch with other young researchers?

The competition "Young Voices in Research for Health" (see question above) has proven to be an extremely popular way to reach out to young voices and make them heard. As a result, the Global Forum has initiated a Forum community for young voices who have been shortlisted in one of the past competitions. Once signed up, they can get in touch and network with each other on a space that is reserved for them on the Global Forum web site.

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I am a funder. How can the Global Forum guide me in my funding decisions?

The Global Forum is the only organization that regularly tracks and reports on the world's investments in R&D for health to help guide funding decisions. Using a sophisticated estimation methodology, it reports on global investments every two years and provides case studies from countries (e.g. Argentina, Brazil, China, Mexico, United States) and by diseases (e.g. HIV, communicable diseases, drugs for neglected diseases, malaria) every alternate year. The "Monitoring Financial Flows" reports show that despite the global increase in investments in R&D for health, many areas of research benefiting the health of poor populations remain severely underfunded and, therefore, under-researched. With limited resources, policy-makers and funders must be held accountable for investment decisions and ensure that R&D for health helps to achieve the goal of health and health equity for all.

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Can I link to the Global Forum web site from my web site?

Potentially any external web site may add a hyperlink to the Global Forum web site without requesting permission.

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How do I request a link from the Global Forum web site to my site?

The Global Forum is interested in linking to the web sites of organizations active in the landscape of research for health and health equity, so if you would like us to link to your web site, please contact and we will study your request.

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What happens with my data that I provide when signing up for services on this web site?

It is the policy of the Global Forum to collect and electronically store only that personally-identifying information that visitors to the Global Forum's web site knowingly and voluntarily provide by completing one of the forms on the web site. The Global Forum is the sole owner of that information and will not sell, share or rent this information to third parties.

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Where can I find explanations of terms frequently used on this web site?

Check out the Glossary.

How can I contact Global Forum staff?

You will find staff contact details here.

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