A strong advocate for accelerating efforts against drug-resistant TB that affects the most vulnerable populations, Bill Gates said during the meeting with Dr Chan that "one of the biggest challenges today is to make scientific innovation improve the lives of the poorest."

The Global Forum for Health Research could not agree more. The annual Forum this year in Havana, Cuba (16-20 November), entitled "Innovating for the health of all," will explore some of the ways that social and technological innovation in public health is improving health outcomes for all. In sessions on topics such as innovative health financing, innovation to reach remote populations, civil society’s role in research and innovation, global support for social entrepreneurship, the Global Forum will provide a platform for a wide range of global health actors representing governments, academia, non-governmental organizations and industry to help set the agenda for public health innovation in the years to come.