The Access to Medicines Index (AtMI): Catalyst for Change or Barrier to Access?

The Access to Medicine Index (AtMI) is an instrument that measures the performance of the 20 biggest pharmaceutical TNCs in terms of how they contribute to improving access to medicines and other products in L&MICs. This measure is used to rank the corporations which is expected to incentivise pharma companies to compete with each other by improving their policies and practices to improve access to medicines in L&MICs. The AtMI is well funded and generally celebrated as a successful initiative that catalyses corporate social responsibility and helps improve global health.

But is the AtMI really effective? Or does it actually serve to maintain the power and excessive profitability of Big Pharma?

Join us in a discussion to critically interrogate the use of the "league table" as an accountability mechanism to improve access to medicines, and explore why such mechanisms might paradoxically weaken efforts to regulate pharmaceutical companies.

About UNU-IIGH

The UNU International Institute for Global Health (UNU-IIGH) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, operates as the designated UN think tank specialising in global health. With a mandate to facilitate the translation of research evidence into policies and tangible actions, UNU-IIGH serves as a hub connecting UN member states, academia, agencies, and programmes. Established through a statute adopted by the United Nations University Council in December 2005, the institute plays a pivotal role in addressing inequalities in global health. UNU-IIGH contributes to the formulation, implementation, and assessment of health programmes.