E-DRUG: MSF vacancy: Medical Innovation Policy Advisor, Access Campaign
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Hi all,
MSF is recruiting a Medical Innovation Policy Advisor to work with Access Campaign.
Please kindly find below the Job Description for your consideration and help with the dissemination.
https://msf.recruitee.com/o/medical-innovation-policy-advisor
Title: Medical Innovation Policy Advisor
Location: Any MSF office
Contract: 12 months with possible extension- Full time position
Starting date: ASAP
Reporting to: Head of Policy and Advocacy, Access Campaign
Deadline for applications: 22th July
<https://msf.recruitee.com/o/medical-innovation-policy-advisor>
I. MSF INTERNATIONAL
Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) is an international, independent, medical humanitarian organisation that delivers emergency aid to people affected by armed conflict, epidemics, healthcare exclusion and natural disasters. MSF offers assistance to people based only on need and irrespective of race, religion, gender or political affiliation.
Created in 1999, the Access Campaign (AC) is an MSF Campaign entity guided by MSF's charter, and dedicated to serve MSF's social mission. Deeply rooted in MSF's medical operations, the AC works to tackle barriers to people's access to medical care, ensuring that quality products such as medicines, vaccines and diagnostics are available, affordable and adapted to people in MSF projects and beyond, now and for the future. The AC is hosted by MSF International, the legal entity that binds MSF's 23 sections, 25 associations and other offices together. Based in Geneva, MSF International provides coordination, information and support to the MSF movement, and implements international projects and initiatives as requested.
II. POSITION BACKGROUND
From the start of MSF Access Campaign, we faced two major challenges – affordable access to existing medicines and the absence of treatments for many of the diseases affecting patients in where MSF works. Our response has been on the one hand to challenge access barriers to the existing medicines. On the other hand, we have worked to stimulate research into new medical tools for neglected diseases such as tuberculosis, and malaria.
There is growing recognition that in order to meet the needs of people in resource poor settings, policies must address both ways to stimulate innovation for new tools, but also to ensure access to the resulting products. Yet as more and more newer drugs are being patented in key generic producing countries, generic competition will no longer automatically be able to act as the catalyst for price reductions as it did in the recent past. In a changing context, past strategies may need to be updated and, new ways to keep medicines affordable must be set in motion.
There is also a need to address the flaws in the current system of research and development which is overwhelmingly driven by financial interests and sustained through monopoly and market exclusivities. Not only does this lead to high prices meaning that some drugs, diagnostics and vaccines remain completely out of reach for many patients, it also means that diseases like TB or paediatric HIV that mostly affect the poor don't get anywhere near the attention and investment into research as diseases that have bigger, more lucrative markets.
The systemic flaws of relying on commercial imperative to deliver biomedical innovation have been further revealed in the COVID-19 pandemic. With unprecedented public and philanthropy funding evidently accelerated the research and development process, the reliance of market positions and exclusivity of pharmaceutical corporations to determine production, supply and prices has contributed to the global inequity of access to COVID-19 medical products. Significant gaps of accessing to essential technologies needed to facilitate local production and supply have hindered many developing countries to be self-sustained in protecting their populations in the pandemic.
Alternative mechanisms for coordinating, financing, developing and delivering research and development (R&D) that do not rely on market monopolies, exclusivities, secrecy and high prices, and that stimulate more innovation and at the same time ensure equitable and affordable access to the products are needed. Options and proposals continue to be put forward, with the COVID-19 pandemic brings additional opportunity to change the system more fundamentally.
This position is focused on strengthening the Access Campaign's work in this area, by critically analysing new proposals to stimulate innovation and access, providing advice and leading the process of developing strategic objectives and actions plans for Access Campaign, and also developing and promoting specific alternative proposals as appropriate.
III. PLACE IN THE ORGANISATION
The Medical Innovation Policy Advisor is part of the Policy and Advocacy department of the Access Campaign. He/she reports to the Head of Policy and Advocacy and works closely with the Policy and Advocacy team members, as well as the other teams in Access Campaign, and is the point of contact for medical innovation policy issues in Access Campaign.
IV. OBJECTIVES OF THE POSITION
The purpose of the position include:
- Provide analysis and strategic advice on policy developments relevant to innovation to essential health technologies
- Gather and analyse the research and development needs emanating from the field teams to inform the Campaign’s advocacy work
- Lead the strategy development and advocacy for the establishment of new policy mechanisms that can stimulate innovation to essential health technologies at the international level.
- Stimulate public debate around appropriate innovation to new health technologies (articles, meetings campaigns, media work)
V. MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES
- Policy lead on biomedical research and development (R&D)
- Building on work previously undertaken, develop the Campaign’s knowledge and expertise of policies/initiatives related to innovation and access, and analyse their ability to meet the needs of people in the contexts in which MSF works and similar contexts.
- Act as the focal point within the Access Campaign for biomedical innovation. This includes convening a core team within the Campaign to develop policy analysis and proposals and possibly public facing campaigns.
- Lead the strategy development and advocacy for the establishment of new policy mechanisms that can stimulate innovation and access
- Lead and coordinate the work of R&D dossier, convene regular calls; support other members of the team with policy updates, strategic advice and documents as needed.
- Develop and implement actions and strategies to influence policies that may be detrimental for access and innovation and to promote positive measures to improve access to medicines and innovation.
- Prepare background documents and briefing notes on the impact of new research and development proposals on meeting the needs of people in the contexts in which MSF works and similar contexts.
- Develop and present the MSF Access Campaign position on innovation to a wide range of target audiences in internal and external meetings, conferences and with the media.
- Foster and maintain a network of policy makers, NGOs, umbrella groups and academics working in the international health field on these issues.
- Build and maintain relationships with official counterparts in international organizations and/or diplomatic missions, if appropriate, through regular meetings and briefings on R&D issues.
- Work with the Communications team to highlight MSF concerns, including the development of campaigns to engage members of MSF and the broader public in supporting proposals for alternative R&D mechanisms.
- Review and edit content developed by other team members to ensure accuracy, consistency of R&D messaging and political relevance.
- Contribute to efforts to promote key campaign issues, on occasion substituting for other policy advisors, if appropriate
- Manage interns and consultants as needed.
Job requirements
- Genuine motivations of working in humanitarian sector and understanding of MSF missions and principles
- A postgraduate degree of a relevant subject area, such as law, economics, international relations, public health
- At least six years of global health or advocacy experience of which a three years full time experiences of policy analysis and advocacy related to access to medicines and biomedical R&D policies
- Demonstrated experiences of policy analysis and advocacy with relevant policy makers, NGOs, academics, and community-based organizations at international and national levels
- Demonstrated experiences with analysis and advocacy concerning biomedical innovation policies and practices of institutions, developed and developing countries
- Knowledge of and experience with R&D model and practices that do not rely on monopolies and market exclusivities
- Experiences of coordinating and leading strategic development and project on a given subject
- Knowledge of current issues and main policy processes related to access to medicines and innovation
- Proven representation, communication and negotiation skills combined with a willingness to act as a spokesperson, experience of working with the media is an asset
- Ability to work independently; capacity to take initiative and seize opportunities
- Team player with the ability and interpersonal skills to succeed in a geographically dispersed and diverse team; working experience in developing countries on access to medicines and innovation is an asset
- Fluency in English as a working language; knowledge or understanding of other languages especially non-European language an asset
- IT literacy
- Availability to travel to other MSF offices, field projects and relevant external meetings
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted
MSF is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply.
Best regards,
Yuan
HU Yuan Qiong, PhD
Policy Co-coordinator | Senior Legal & Policy Advisor
Medecins Sans Frontteres Access Campaign
Rue de Lausanne
Geneve 1, Switzerland
Yuanqiong HU <Yuanqiong.HU@geneva.msf.org>