Vocabulary
What is globalization?
What is the process by which trade becomes connected across many countries.
What organization is discussing this issue?
The World Health Organization (WHO).
What is the main issue discussed in this committee?
Drug shortages and medicine supply chain problems.
What type of country invents most new medicines?
Research nations.
What does MRAP stand for?
Manufacturer Resiliency Assessment Program.
What is a generic drug?
A cheaper version of a brand-name drug that works the same way.
What event exposed major weaknesses in the global medical supply chain?
COVID-19.
Which type of drugs experience most shortages?
Generic drugs.
What type of country produces large amounts of medicine and ingredients?
Manufacturing nations.
What does a stockpile of medicine do?
Stores extra supplies for emergencies and shortages.
What is patent protection?
The right to be the only company allowed to make and sell an invention
Which country produces over half of the world's high-capacity API manufacturing sites?
India
Name one reason generic drug shortages happen.
Low profits, transportation delays, manufacturing problems, or raw material shortages.
What type of country mainly wants affordable and reliable medicine access?
Consumer nations.
What is an Advanced Market Commitment (AMC)?
A promise to buy a product if a company successfully develops it.
What is compulsory licensing?
When a government allows another company to make a patented product.
What percentage of global generic sterile injectables are produced by the United States?
43%
What natural disaster damaged a Pfizer factory and halted medicine production?
A tornado.
Why do research nations usually support strong patents?
They want companies to recover research costs and make profits.
What do price transparency regulations require companies to share?
Information about the costs of developing and producing drugs.
What are neglected tropical diseases (NTDs)?
Diseases that affect many people, mostly in low-income tropical regions, but receive less funding and attention.
How much is WHO's operational budget for 2024–2025?
$6.8 billion
What disease outbreak occurred in Haiti after Hurricane Matthew?
Cholera.
Why might manufacturing nations oppose moving factories elsewhere?
Manufacturing gives them economic and political power.
What is a temporary importation order?
Permission to temporarily bring medicine from another country during a shortage or emergency