There are many aspects to consider under the idea of global health; from research on neglected disease, pandemics, addressing diseases of the developing world, patents and licensing, to healthcare infrastructure, capacity and systems, as well as health education. As a leading health care company, Johnson & Johnson is directly engaged in research and development, and the manufacture and sale of a broad range of products that impact human health and well-being. In addition, we look beyond our businesses for opportunities to encourage medical progress, advocate for effective health care systems, and act to improve access to health care and health care products.
For 125 years Johnson & Johnson has been innovating and developing products to meet some of the world’s most critical health problems. Our commitment to advance global health through our businesses means working with partners—such as the TB Alliance, The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the International Partnership for Microbicides—to address neglected diseases and advance access to our medicines.
In 2010, we strengthened this commitment through the launch of a comprehensive, five-year, private-sector effort to improve the health of women and children in developing countries. The initiative supports the United Nations’ call for a renewed effort to achieve the Millennium Development Goals of reducing mortality in women and children by 2015.
Our Healthy Future 2015 goals include such efforts to advance global health. Other opportunities addressed in our goal-setting include efforts to provide affordable access to our medicines through pioneering business models and philanthropic donations and programs that advance community wellness. Our philanthropic programs focus on making life-changing, long-term differences in human health by targeting the world’s major health issues.
We recognize that all members of the health care community must collaborate to advance good health. In addition to using our broad scientific knowledge to develop new medical advances, we have an important responsibility to identify sustainable ways to help improve health care. The scope of our actions around the world is wide: It includes supporting health care reforms that focus on the individual; helping others develop effective prevention programs based on our own experience in employee health; and developing educational programs that help to increase the number of health care professionals and enable health care practitioners and government health and hospital administrators to upgrade their skills. We engage with governments and policymakers both directly and through coalitions to advocate for policies that will bring better health care to all.
After consulting with patient groups, physicians, our employees, policymakers and others in health care, we created The Promise of Health Care to express our beliefs about what is needed to improve health care. We believe the best systems are centered on the needs of individuals, offer access to health care coverage for all, and provide support to help people remain healthy, get early diagnosis and receive quality care. Importantly, The Promise of Health Care lays out the role of Johnson & Johnson in advancing good health care through our own actions and by working with others throughout the world.