As part of the Public Pharma for Europe coalition, we co-organised its first webinar on 19 September, highlighting the essential role of publicly funded medical research in advancing equitable global healthcare. Titled ‘The Case of CAR-T Cell Therapy’, the event brought together experts from research, advocacy and academia to explore how public-sector-led CAR-T therapies can pave the way for fairer, more accessible health solutions worldwide. 

The featured speakers were:

• Sarai Keestra (Universities Allied for Essential Medicines) 
• Adrian Alonso Ruiz (Salud por Derecho) 
• Stéphanie Michaud (BioCanRx) 

The discussion centred around the prohibitive costs and complex manufacturing processes that currently restrict access to CAR-T therapies, despite their potential to revolutionise cancer treatment. Encouragingly, public universities, hospitals and manufacturers are making strides in developing more affordable alternatives. The speakers stressed that CAR-T therapy development must be guided by patient needs rather than financial considerations. 

However, challenges remain. The public sector faces significant political, strategic and regulatory obstacles in making these therapies globally accessible. Most public initiatives lack clear commercialisation pathways and fail to prioritise equitable global access in their design. 

The speakers redefined ‘Public Pharma’, not necessarily as state-owned, but as a pharmaceutical model centred on public health needs. This approach involves creating therapies that are globally accessible, transcending nationalistic models. It seeks to create the necessary conditions to have meaningful technology transfers between the Global North and the Global South, fostering equitable access to innovation and medical advancements. 

Sarai Keestra specifically addressed outdated and often discriminatory assumptions about the technical capacities of labs in the Global South, which are rooted in racist and colonial perspectives. She emphasised the moral responsibility of universities and public institutions to engage in technology transfer initiatives that decentralise production and dismantle barriers to access. 

This webinar marked a crucial milestone in the Public Pharma for Europe initiative, reinforcing the importance of an approach to develop new therapies that is rooted on human rights, puts people before profits and fosters equality both within and between countries.