Health Law, Ethics & Policy Seminar Series
presents
Steven Hoffman, Assistant Professor
Faculty of Law, University of Ottawa
Achieving Global Collective Action for Improving
Access to Antimicrobials and Sustaining their Effectiveness
Commentator:
Paul Grootendorst, Director,
Social and Administrative Pharmacy and
Professor, Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy
12:30 – 2:00
Thursday, February 12, 2015
Solarium (room FA2) – Falconer Hall
84 Queen’s Park
Access to antimicrobials and the sustainability of their effectiveness is undermined by deep-seated failures in both global governance and global markets. These failures can be conceptualized as political economy challenges unique to each antimicrobial policy goal, including global commons dilemmas, negative externalities, unrealized positive externalities, coordination issues and free-rider problems. Many actors, instruments and initiatives that form part of the global antimicrobial regime are addressing these challenges, yet they are insufficiently coordinated, compliant, led or financed. Taking an evidence-based approach to global strategy reveals at least ten options for promoting collective action on antimicrobial access and effectiveness, including those that involve building institutions, crafting incentives and mobilizing interests. Progress should be possible if only we find the right mix of options matched with the right forum and making this grand bargain politically possible by ensuring it simultaneously addresses three components of the conundrum – namely access, conservation and innovation.
Steven Hoffman is an Assistant Professor of Law and Director of the Global Strategy Lab at the University of Ottawa with courtesy appointments as an Assistant Professor of Clinical Epidemiology & Biostatistics at McMaster University and Visiting Assistant Professor of Global Health at Harvard University. His research focuses on global health law, global governance and institutional design. Currently he is co-principal investigator of a large $4.6 million CAD research consortium on “Strengthening International Collaboration for Capitalizing on Cost-Effective and Life-Saving Commodities”. He previously worked for the World Health Organization and the UN Secretary-General’s Office. He is a proud alumnus of the University of Toronto Faculty of Law from which he received his JD, before continuing to article in Toronto and undertake doctoral studies at Harvard University and Sciences Po Paris.
A light lunch will be provided.
For more workshop information, please contact Nadia Gulezko at n.gulezko@utoronto.ca
