MPP is looking for community representatives to join its Community Advisory Panel (CAP)

(volunteer position/non-paid)

Required profile:

Individuals living with or affected by disease areas relevant to MPP’s work, which given the products that have been prioritised for licensing by MPP, include HIV, viral hepatitis, tuberculosis, malaria, cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, pandemic products and reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health. Selected candidates should have a proven track record of representing the interests of affected communities (with affiliation to a community network or other similar organisation being a plus). They should also be supportive of MPP’s mission and have an understanding of the MPP model.

Full proficiency in English language is necessary.

To complement MPP’s current CAP members, we are looking specifically for community representatives from:

• Middle East
• North Africa
• Francophone countries in sub-Saharan Africa
• Latin America
• South Asia (for this region of the world we’re specifically interested in expertise in PrEP and Hepatitis C)

In addition, we are looking for:

• individuals with expertise in pandemic-related products such as influenza
• individuals living with or affected by a cardiovascular disease or type 2 diabetes

1. Background information

The Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) is a United Nations-backed public health organisation working to increase access to, and facilitate the development of, medicines and other health products for low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). MPP does this by identifying medicines and health technologies needed in LMICs, in partnership with WHO and other stakeholders, and licensing intellectual property rights to enable generic manufacture for supply in LMICs. To date, MPP has signed agreements with 21 patent holders for 13 HIV antiretrovirals, one HIV technology platform, three hepatitis C direct-acting antivirals, a tuberculosis treatment, a cancer treatment, four long-acting technologies, three oral antiviral treatments for COVID-19 and 16 COVID-19 technologies. MPP was founded by Unitaid, which continues to be MPP’s main funder. MPP’s work on access to essential medicines is also funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). MPP’s activities in COVID-19 are undertaken with the financial support of the Japanese Government, the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, the German Agency for International Cooperation and SDC.

More information at https://medicinespatentpool.org/ and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.

2. Role of the Community Advisory Panel (CAP)

The CAP is a mechanism launched in 2023 that serves a key advisory role in providing MPP and the MPP Expert Advisory Group (EAG) with critical insights and guidance from its members’ lived experiences as they pertain to specific disease areas, as well as public health, as relates to the ongoing work of MPP.  The CAP is a roster of individuals that are supportive of MPP’s work to accelerate access to needed medicines and health technologies and are able and willing to provide relevant advice to the organisation in the disease area for which they have been selected.  CAP members serve two primary functions:

1) Ad-Hoc Advice: The members of the CAP shall, at the request of the MPP Executive Director or a delegated staff member, provide:

1. Analysis and guidance pertaining to the development, effectiveness, and/or need for specific medical technologies, from a community and end-user perspective
2. Analysis of and feedback on MPP’s annual prioritisation exercise that seeks to identify the therapies and/or technologies that MPP will seek to license
3. Analysis and guidance regarding specific disease areas that MPP should include among its priorities
4. Any other expertise that may be helpful to the carrying out of MPP’s mission.

2) Supporting the work of the Expert Advisory Group (EAG): CAP members may also be called upon to support the work of MPP’s EAG.  The EAG advises the MPP Governance Board and the Executive Director on licence negotiations and assesses whether the terms and conditions of a proposed licence agreement meet the requirements.  At least two CAP members who have expertise in the particular disease or technological area relevant to a proposed licence will be invited by the MPP Executive Director to participate in discussions relating to the proposed licence. These disease-specific community representatives will then be requested to confidentially review drafts of a proposed licence and offer comments to the EAG. The EAG function is described in further detail within the Terms of Reference for the Expert Advisory Group.

3. Additional information

CAP members, while representing their communities, will serve in their personal capacity. CAP members will have to abide by MPP general policies, disclose any potential conflicts of interest and, if participating in the review of licences, sign a confidentiality agreement. More on MPP policies: https://medicinespatentpool.org/who-we-are/statutes-by-laws-policies/. Participation in the CAP will be on a volunteer basis and will not be remunerated.

4. Duration of the term

CAP members serve a three-year term, for a maximum of two consecutive terms or six years. The primary means by which the CAP will operate shall be via email or teleconference, provided that, as necessary and appropriate, members of the CAP may be invited to attend the annual in-person EAG meeting (all expenses paid) for the discussion of disease-specific issues.

5. Application process

To apply please send your CV and a cover letter outlining your relevant experience, expertise and interest in joining our CAP to recruitment@medicinespatentpool.org with the subject “CAP candidate nomination” by May 31 2024 at midnight CET.