Published online on 3 December, a Lancet Report developed a forward-looking investment agenda to attain dramatic health gains by 2035. The Report emphasises public revenue generation and public financing to be allocated to and within public health budgets especially for the poor populations in the low- and middle-income countries. And it asks for measures including, among others: full exemption of out-of-pocket expenses for the poor; poor-friendly pathways towards universal health coverage; heavy taxation on tobacco and other harmful substances; and reduction or elimination of energy subsidies on air-polluting fuels.

The European Commission (EC) released on 29 June 2011 a budget proposal for 2014-2020, where €70 billion is allocated to the heading “Global Europe,” which covers the European Union (EU)’s operating plan in the world, including development and humanitarian aid. However, the latest draft proposal laid down by Council President Herman Van Rompuy sharply cuts back development aid and humanitarian assistance by almost €10 billion, to €60.6 billion.

Just under three billion people live on less than US$2 per day, in resource-limited countries where key medicines protected by patents are unaffordable.

The latest World Health Organization / European Union plans to counter the trade in counterfeit and substandard medicines aim to ensure that medicines in the developing world are safe. As such, though both plans appropriately address quality issues, they fall short of adequate coordination and collaboration with each other, and also present substantial flaws.