Institute for OneWorld Health
I first discovered the Institute for OneWorld Health, established as a 501(c)3 entity in 2001 by Dr. Victoria Hale, when I was in business school. I was taking a class called Designing and Leading Entrepreneurial Organizations. Each week we would discuss the assigned readings and try to identify businesses that met the criteria being discussed. As someone who has always worked in either the non-profit or academic sector, the companies I explored were generally non-profits or places where I shopped. I was stunned at the concept of a non-profit pharmaceutical company targeting diseases that are important for global health but essentially eradicated from the USA. As a scientist and human being I love the concept. As a recent MBA graduate, I love the business model. For most pharmaceutical companies, e.g. Merck, developing a new drug can cost more than $500 million over a 10 to 12 year period. The Institute for OneWorld Health has been able to develop its portfolio with assistance from industry, academia, and philanthropists.
All people should have access to the basic essentials of good health, whoever they are, wherever they were born. Those of us with the ability to provide life-saving vaccines and medications to the world’s least fortunate-and to conduct research and develop new medicines-should do everything we can.
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