The present document attempts to map the funding landscape on Intellectual Property related to Access to Medicines (IPA2M) work. The report, framed as “working paper”, provides an initial baseline for discussion with donors and organisations working on IPA2M. The intent is to scope the level of funding made available in the last two decades by the main players that financed the work of organisations actively involved on IPA2M. The mapping looked into the recipient perspective and lessons learned in relation to financial sustainability of their IPA2M work. The mapping also interviewed a number of donors directly or indirectly financing IPA2M activities, or having the potential for funding such activities.
The initial objective of the report indicated a 5 years framework for the mapping exercise but data was available for over two decades and informative for the purposes of investigating and describing the trends and lessons learned on financial sustainability of IPA2M work.
Part 1 and 2 of the report present an analysis respectively of the donor landscape and an analysis of the feedback provided by the recipient civil society organisations participating in the enquiry. The enquiry also included UN agencies and organisations (NGOs/CSOs) from high-income countries to provide a larger base to inform this think piece.
Although the original objectives of the study requested an outline of key opportunities to overcome funding shortages to support IPA2M, this analysis has no simple answer to a systemic problem. The appreciation of the policy and financial space outlined and analysed in this report may serve to a constructive and coordinated response to a systemic problem. The report highlights opportunities for reflecting: on financial models (institutional and project base) adapted to the nature of the IPA2M work at global, regional and country level; on the sphere of influence for the missing donors to enter in the picture; on ensuring a more strategic and collaborative approach with the different actors that are needed to ensure impact.
Some recommendations from more operational to more strategic level can be inferred from the analysis, but are meant to be an initial guidance for discussion and formulation.