2014 International Pharmaceutical Innovation Collaboration Forum - Challenges and Opportunities for BRICS Countries was hosted by National Health and Family Planning Commission of the People’s Republic of China (NHFPC) and organized by China Pharmaceutical Innovation and Research Development Association (PhIRDA) in Beijing on October 27-28, 2014.

Pharmaceutical innovation is one of the key areas of cooperation set by BRICS Health Ministers Meeting, on which China will take the lead. This forum is the first meeting of the BRICS countries in the field of pharmaceutical innovation, which provided a dialogue platform for BRICS countries to exchange experience. Liu Qian, Vice Minister and Member of Party Leadership Group of NHFPC delivered a welcome speech, which was read on his behalf by Ren Minghui, Director-General of the Department of International Cooperation of NHFPC. In the speech, Liu Qian pointed a new challenge of heath with the in-depth development of economic globalization – it became common issues across the BRICS countries and global, and pharmaceutical innovation is one of the effective solutions. International experience shows that to enhance extensive cooperation and promote innovation is an inevitable choice to seize opportunities and face challenges. In order to further promote cooperation in this field, the following initiatives were developed: exchanging pharmaceutical innovation policy, promoting multilateral cooperation on innovation, participating in global health initiatives and taking the advantage of industry associations. Valdemar Carneiro Leao, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Embassy of the Federative Republic of Brazil; Bernhard Schwartlander，WHO Representative in China; Mariangela Simao, Director, Rights, Gender, Prevention and Community Mobilization Department of UNAIDS; Sun Piaoyang, Chairman of SINO-PhIRDA gave welcome speech on the opening ceremony. In the technical meeting session, representatives from the BRICS governments, industry and international organizations, World Health Organization and UNAIDS delivered reports and answered questions.

Forum adopted the "Initiative to Promote Pharmaceutical Industry Innovation Collaboration among BRICS Countries of 2014 International Pharmaceutical Innovation Collaboration Forum". Representatives from the governments, embassies, international organization, academic institutes and pharmaceutical enterprises of BRICS countries attended this forum.

Plenary meeting

Ren Minghui, Director-General of the Department of International Cooperation of NHFPC hosted the opening ceremony

Addressed by Valdemar Carneiro Leao, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Embassy of the Federative Republic of Brazil

Addressed by Bernhard Schwartlander, WHO Representative in China

Addressed by Mariangela Simao, Director, Rights, Gender, Prevention and Community Mobilization Department of UNAIDS

Addressed by Sun Piaoyang, Chairman of SINO-PhIRDA

Speech by Thamizhanban Pillay, Deputy Director-General of Health Regulation and Compliance Management of Ministry of Health in South Africa

Speech by Zhang Yongxiang, Researcher of China Academy of Military Medical Sciences

Speech by Jorge Bermudez, Vice-President of Health Production and Innovation of Ministry of Health in Brazil

Q&A session

Song Ruilin, Executive President of PhIRDA hosted the forum

Speech by Sun He, Vice-President of Tasly Holding Group Co., Ltd.

Speech by Klara Tisocki, Team Leader of Essential Medicines and Health Technologies, WHO Western Pacific Region

Speech by Mariangela Simao, Director, Rights, Gender, Prevention and Community Mobilization Department of UNAIDS

Xing Ruoqi, Director of Major Project Office, Department of Health Science, Technology and Education of NHFPC hosted the forum

 Speech by Zhang Lianshan, Vice-President of Jiangsu Hengrui Medicine Co., Ltd.

Speech by Eduardo Jorge Valadares Oliveira, Director of the Department of Industrial Complex and Innovation in Health-Secretariat of Science, Technology and Strategic Inputs of Ministry of Health in Brazil

Q&A session

Zhang Yang, Deputy Director-General of Department of International Cooperation of NHFPC announced Initiative