Giving Compass' Take:

• Jake Schneider and Darrell M. West explain how governments and NGOs can help private investments in global health R&D to grow and produce results by increasing access and transparency

• What work is already being done by private investment? How could existing investments be better directed for impact?

• The Milken Institute lays out ways to engage in innovative financing for global health R&D.

1. LOWER BARRIERS TO INVESTMENT
The barriers to private sector investment in global health R&D include limited markets for neglected tropical diseases, the costs of drug development, geopolitical risks in the developing world, governance challenges, the limits of scientific discovery, and a lack of data on investment options.

2. INCREASE LEGAL FLEXIBILITY
In thinking about ways to increase investment, increasing legal flexibility can accommodate increased innovation.

3. MORE SYSTEMATIC AND TRANSPARENT DATA
Another concern raised was the need for more systematic and transparent data regarding drug development costs and investment returns.

4. LOWER COST STRUCTURES
China, India, South Africa, and Brazil are spurring investment through lower cost structures that reduce drug development expenses.

5. ACCELERATE SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY
Identifying new compounds and evaluating possible combinations is a long and laborious process, but AI promises to analyze the efficacy and effectiveness of chemical compounds more quickly.

Read the full article on private investment in global health R&D by Jake Schneider and Darrell M. West at Brookings.