This week, the Access to Medicine Foundation recognized Seeding Labs’ Instrumental Access program as a Best Practice for R&D Capacity Building in the 2021 Access to Medicine Index!
This is an extraordinary recognition of how our work is accelerating scientific discovery and education in developing countries worldwide.
The Access to Medicine Index is a report detailing how 20 leading pharmaceutical companies make medicines, vaccines, and diagnostics more accessible for people in low- and middle-income countries.
This honor highlights the powerful partnerships between Seeding Labs and our corporate supporters on the 2021 Index: MilliporeSigma (Merck KGaA), Takeda Pharmaceuticals, Sanofi, and Eisai.
You can dig into the entire report here (the Seeding Labs piece is on page 111). The Best Practice nod describes the innovation at the heart of our Instrumental Access program:
“By determining what researchers need to be successful and providing fit-for-purpose scientific equipment to support such projects, the Instrumental Access program helps to build country and institutional research capacity. It also … [enables] recipients to address local challenges effectively and teach future generations.”
One Step Further
MilliporeSigma* and Takeda have extended their support of Seeding Labs “one step further,” as described in the Index. They have integrated partnership with Seeding Labs into their business operations—spanning R&D and corporate social responsibility—in three ways:
- Investing in our Instrumental Access program with multi-year, sustaining funding
- Donating surplus equipment
- Engaging their employees through volunteerism
The result? Across the Instrumental Access network of 87 universities in 37 developing countries, more than 30,000 students each year now have hands-on educational opportunities with lab equipment. Hundreds of researchers are able to accelerate their research. Scientific infrastructure is just the foundation; the sky is the limit!
Connecting the Global Scientific Community
At Takeda Pharmaceuticals, what started with donations of equipment and resources to strengthen global science has expanded to include contributions of employee expertise. In the process, they have made R&D capacity-building a standard part of their operations.
Dr. Chris Reddick
“Takeda is committed to improving global health and addressing health disparities that impact underserved communities. Having our partnership with Seeding Labs called out in the Access to Medicine Index 2021 as a best practice is a welcome endorsement of this important work,” says Dr. Chris Reddick, Head of the R&D Center for Health Equity at Takeda Pharmaceuticals. “Through our partnership, we are empowering scientists to catalyze basic research, advance early translational medicine, and strengthen the overall healthcare infrastructure in developing countries.”
As the founding sponsor of our TeleScience platform, MilliporeSigma has partnered with Seeding Labs since 2013 to share scientific knowledge and resources with millions worldwide.
Jeffrey Whitford
“At its core, Seeding Labs is not only increasing access, but it’s building capacity that’s driving impact around the world,” says Jeffrey Whitford, Head of Sustainability and Social Business Innovation at MilliporeSigma.
Takeda and MilliporeSigma’s commitment to R&D capacity building was described in the Index as “a best practice as they have expanded their commitment to, and involvement in, [Instrumental Access] beyond donating equipment.”
Melissa P. Wu
“Instrumental Access addresses a fundamental barrier for many institutions that struggle to build for the future: investment in research infrastructure. In recognizing Instrumental Access as a Best Practice, the Access to Medicines Index also identifies scientific capacity building as crucial for global health,” says Melissa P. Wu, PhD, CEO of Seeding Labs. “I am proud to work with our corporate partners represented in this year’s Index. Together we are shaping the future of global health by investing in scientific infrastructure today.”
Get Involved
You can join MilliporeSigma, Takeda, and our community of donors who are empowering every scientist to change the world.
Learn more about donating your surplus equipment to Instrumental Access; share your scientific tips on our TeleScience site; or send us an email to talk about ways we can partner to advance global science.
*The life science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, operates as MilliporeSigma in the US and Canada.
