UPDATE (as of 15 November 2013): Please refer to the following link Global Technical Consultative Meeting on Identification of Health R&D Demonstration Projects for information regarding the upcoming global meeting and the global list of proposals.

The World Health Assembly resolution (WHA66.22) requests the Director General of the WHO to "facilitate through regional consultations and broad engagement of relevant stakeholders the implementation of a few health research and development demonstration projects to address identified gaps that disproportionately affect developing countries, particularly the poor, and for which immediate action can be taken".

In this respect, WHO Regional Office invites submissions on possible demonstration projects on health research and development. The call for proposals is open to all sectors; including (but not limited to) civil society, academic and research centres, the rpivate sector, nongovernmental organizations, and researchers.

In November, the WHO Regional Office will organize a meeting to review and select a maximum of four projects from the ones received. These short-listed projects will be further assessed during a global technical consultative meeting of experts and Member States planned for 3–5 December 2013 at WHO headquarters in Geneva, with the objective of proposing a priority list of a few projects for consideration by Member States. A report of the 3–5 December meeting, as well as description of the priority projects will be submitted by the WHO secretariat for consideration by the 134th WHO Executive Board; 20–25 January 2014) and the 67th World Health Assembly in May 2014.

The selection of demonstration projects will be based primarily on the following considerations:

1. address research and development gaps related to discovery, development and/or delivery of health technologies for diseases that disproportionally affect developing countries, particularly the poor, and for which immediate action can be taken;
2. utilize collaborative approaches, including open-knowledge approaches, for research and development coordination;
3. promote the de-linkage of the cost of research and development from product price; and
4. propose and foster innovative financing mechanisms, including innovative, sustainable and pooled funding;

For example, the projects may include, diagnostic tools for infectious diseases, and antibiotics and other anti-infective agents, among others.  

Interested parties may send their proposals (using the standard template) directly to: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

The deadline for submission is 30 October 2013. Any proposals reveived after this date will not be considered.

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION HAS BEEN EXTENDED until 1 November 2013.

Further information can be found at the WHO Public health, innovation, intellectual property and trade page.