Five years after the adoption of World Health Assembly resolution WHA 72.8 on transparency in pharmaceutical markets, challenges persist regarding the availability of information on prices, research and development (R&D) costs, reimbursement mechanisms, and more. The lack of transparency in these areas affects equity in access to medicines, hinders global health goals, and calls into question the very concept of democracy.
During the most recent World Health Assembly (WHA78), Salud por Derecho, together with Wemos and Health Action International, organized a side event to highlight the urgent need to advance transparency in pharmaceutical markets. Through the presentation of a new report (Wemos and HAI, 2025) and a panel featuring government representatives—including members of the Spanish government—three key messages were emphasized: the lack of information on R&D costs and net prices as a barrier to access; the need to strengthen national authorities responsible for enforcing transparency legislation; and the importance of international cooperation to achieve sustained progress.
A few days ago, together with other organizations from No Es Sano, we called for transparency in the net prices of medicines through a report. But this is not the only measure that can—or should—be taken. The Ministry of Health has a key role in implementing this resolution by advancing regulatory measures that ensure greater accountability and equity in the pharmaceutical market. That is why we drafted this document, outlining the current problems and potential solutions, including a series of concrete actions to strengthen transparency and improve decision-making on pricing and access to medicines. These recommendations were submitted to the Ministry a few weeks ago and are now being published.
