IKD Project: Innovation in Pharma and Equity in Health Systems International project workshop Open University, Milton Keynes and London, UK 12 th -15 th May 2008 Funding is gratefully acknowledged from DIME, INNOGEN and the Open University. Participants: Professor Joanna Chataway, Open University Dr. Pelin Demirel, Nottingham University Dr Rebecca Hanlin, Open University Professor Sebastião Loureiro, PECS, Bahia, Brazil Professor Maureen Mackintosh, Open University Fábio Mota, PECS, Bahia, Brazil Professor Mariana Mazzucato, Open University Professor Luigi Orsenigo, Open University and Bocconi University, Milan Erika Santos de Aragão, PECS, Bahia, Brazil Dr Paula Tibandebage, Research on Poverty Alleviation (REPOA), Tanzania Workshop report Design of a research Programme on the Co-evolution of Innovation, Equity and Health Systems This invited workshop brought together researchers in innovation and health systems, from the UK, Italy, Brazil and Tanzania, to discuss current research and develop an outline programme of research on innovation in pharmaceuticals and equity in health. This report presents a summary of workshop discussion outlining objectives and initial activities of the research programme emerging from the workshop. Programme Aims The case of health care represents a crucial issue and an "example" in the analysis of the interrelations between innovation and inequality. This project seeks to tackle the interrelationships between innovation and health equity within a broadly evolutionary framework of analysis, bringing together investigation of the construction of capabilities in innovation and manufacturing, and the construction of health system capability to deliver improved access and lower inequity. The programme will address the overarching question: What is the relationship between innovation in pharma. and equity in health services? This key question derives from a discussion at the IKD workshop on Bridging the gulf between policies for innovation, productivity & industrial growth & policies to reduce poverty (London, November 2005), of the reasons why some countries – notably the USA and India – are so good at innovating in pharma-biotech and yet fail to deliver equity in health services (Chaudhuri 2007). The programme aims to explore the extent and nature of systematic relationships between innovation and equity, with pharmaceuticals and health systems as the core example and concern. The policy aim is to establish in what circumstances can industrial innovation create more equal access to and financing of healthcare services.