Policy brief urges action to sustain R&D for future health innovation
24 June 2026
The research and development (R&D) ecosystem for medicines and vaccines is undergoing rapid transformation. Scientific advances, new technologies such as AI, and changing global dynamics are reshaping how innovation is discovered, developed and delivered. At the same time, rising costs, long development timelines and increasing uncertainty are placing growing strain on the system.
To explore how innovation can be sustained in this context, HPP has supported the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA) in the development of a new policy brief. It examines how the R&D ecosystem is evolving, and the conditions needed to ensure it can continue to deliver innovative medicines and vaccines.
The brief sets out how stakeholders – including governments, regulators, academia, industry, patients, investors and technology partners – contribute to the R&D pathway, from discovery to integration into care. And it highlights that innovation is not the product of a single factor, but of a complex, interdependent ecosystem shaped by policy, regulation, incentives and long‑term investment decisions.
While R&D has resulted in major health, economic and societal benefits – including transformative medicines and vaccines – it faces a number of risks. These include high failure rates, fragmented regulatory environments, pressures on public research funding, weakened incentives and declining trust in science. Left unaddressed, such challenges could slow the development of new medicines and vaccines at a time when unmet health needs remain substantial.
Drawing on evidence and case studies, the brief provides practical policy considerations to strengthen the R&D ecosystem and leverage opportunities for it to thrive. Targeted action is needed so that:
- sustained public and private investment reinforce scientific knowledge and accelerate the identification of optimal biological targets
- predictable and targeted incentives – such as secured public funding of research, fiscal measures and clear innovation policies – attract R&D investment to societal priorities
- robust intellectual property and data frameworks reward risk‑taking, attract investment, enable partnerships and ensure returns are reinvested into future R&D
- regulatory collaboration optimises resources, reduces duplication and accelerates access to high-quality medicines
- there is investment in skills, infrastructure and manufacturing capacity.
Together, these measures help scientific breakthroughs translate into timely, equitable health benefits.
As global priorities increasingly focus on innovation, competitiveness, resilience and health security, the brief calls on policymakers and other stakeholders to take targeted action now to strengthen investment, incentives, regulatory systems, infrastructure and partnerships so that R&D can continue to deliver impact for people and societies.
