Global health research and innovation should be priority for Horizon Europe: Lancet commentary

Investing in global health and innovation should be higher priority in Europe’s new research funding program, according to a newly published Lancet commentary.

The piece was developed by members of the European Global Health Research Institutes Network (EGHRIN), whose membership includes research institutes and universities affiliated with global health institutes in Europe. The network, co-launched by AIGHD, seeks to develop a global health research agenda for Europe and advocate for a higher profile of global health within the new EU research funding program Horizon Europe.

The European Commission recently published its proposal for Horizon Europe, a €100 billion research and innovation programme that will succeed Horizon 2020.

“Ensuring global health is part of this new funding program is more important than it ever was and deserves a clearly recognizable place in the program,” said prof. Frank Cobelens, AIGHD academic staff and lead author, adding the amount of money allocated to the health cluster within Horizon Europe’s proposed budget is less than what was allocated as part of Horizon 2020.

“Strengthening the commitment to global health as part of the program will have a number of benefits including enhancing European science and providing an opportunity to innovate in the development of products and services and involve European providers, to name a few.”

Read the full commentary on The Lancet website.