Objectives

The Global Forum aims to increase the roles of research and innovation in improving health and health equity by:

1. Prioritizing research

Global Forum data show that despite the global increase in R&D investments in health from US$ 30 billion in 1986 to US$ 160.3 billion in 2005, many areas of research benefiting the health of poor populations remain severely underfunded and under-researched.

2. Increasing coherence

The increasing number of actors necessitates greater coordination and coherence to ensure 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.

3. Expanding the use of evidence

Policy-makers in many low- and middle-income countries still face obstacles to using research results when shaping and implementing policies. They include: lack of data and evidence; chronic lack of resources; fragmented health systems; lack of research culture and insufficient communication between researchers and policy-makers.