PAHO convenes industry and partners to advance innovation, production and access to health technologies

Brasilia, Brazil, August 24, 2026.- The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) joined global and regional stakeholders to promote the development of integrated innovation and production ecosystems to expand equitable access to health technologies and strengthen regional health security. These issues were at the center of the Industry Engagement Forum (IEF), held in Brasília, Brazil, and co-hosted by PAHO,  Unitaid, the U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP), the Global Coalition for Local and Regional Production, Innovation and Equitable Access and the Ministry of Health of Brazil.

The two-day forum, "Access with Agency: Strengthening Regional Innovation and Production Ecosystems for Sustainable Access to Health Products in Latin America and the Caribbean," brought together government authorities, regulatory agencies, industry representatives, academia, civil society organizations, and international institutions to discuss pathways for strengthening regional innovation, production, regulation, financing, and access to health technologies.

During the opening session, Tomás Pippo, Acting Chief of PAHO's Innovation and Regional Production Platform, emphasized that expanding local and regional capacities is not only an industrial objective but also a public health imperative.

"The capacity to produce health technologies in Latin America and the Caribbean is an essential component of health security, universal access, and health equity," said Pippo. "Geographic diversification of innovation and production is critical for preparedness against future health emergencies, but it is also necessary to address persistent public health priorities. Achieving these goals requires strong ecosystems that connect innovation, regulation, financing, specialized human resources, and resilient regional value chains. No country can do this alone."

Robert Matiru, Director of Programmes Unitaid, underscored the forum as an opportunity to identify concrete areas for collaboration, investment, and support, while recognizing the significant capabilities already present across the region. He emphasized the importance of building on these existing strengths and fostering collaboration with regional partners to advance innovation, production, and sustainable access to health technologies.

The forum highlighted the importance of regulatory strengthening as a key enabler of sustainable innovation and production. Speaking during a session on regional innovation ecosystems, Begoña Sagastuy, Acting Chief of PAHO's Unit for Quality and Regulation of Medicines and Health Technologies, emphasized that strong regulatory systems are fundamental to both public health protection and industrial development.

"Effective and efficient regulatory systems create the conditions for responsible innovation and quality-assured production," said Sagastuy. "When regulatory authorities provide clear pathways, science-based requirements, transparent decisions, and predictable timelines, they generate confidence for innovators, manufacturers, procurement agencies, health professionals, and the public."

Throughout the forum, participants discussed strategies to strengthen manufacturing capacity, improve regulatory collaboration, consolidate demand, mobilize financing, and develop resilient supply chains for strategic health products. Sessions also explored how regional production can contribute to more sustainable access to medicines, vaccines, diagnostics, and other health technologies when supported by appropriate policy and market conditions.

Santiago Cornejo, Executive Manager of PAHO's Regional Revolving Funds, highlighted the importance of having predictable and coordinated demand among countries to generate economies of scale and create favorable conditions for regional innovation and production. "Sustainable access requires a combination of technical cooperation, political commitment, and innovative financial solutions that enable countries to obtain timely access to vaccines, medicines, and other health technologies, while promoting the resilience and sustainability of health systems," he said.

The forum provided a platform for stakeholders from across the region to identify practical opportunities for collaboration and advance a more coordinated approach to strengthening regional innovation and production, with the shared goal of improving sustainable and equitable access to health technologies.