Health Care Archives

As part of the preparatory process for the September 2026 UN High-Level Meeting on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness, and Response (PPPR), governments, international organizations, civil society, academia, and the private sector convened on June 9 in New York to exchange views on strengthening multilateral cooperation and advancing more effective, equitable approaches to future pandemic threats.

Ashley Harrington, Manager, Health and Sustainability at USCIB, delivered an intervention that underscored the essential role of public-private collaboration in pandemic preparedness and response and encouraged Member States to create enabling policy environments that support innovation, regulatory coherence, IP protections, and timely access to medical countermeasures. Harrington also highlighted the importance of integrating non-communicable disease management into pandemic planning, noting that stronger health systems and more resilient populations are critical to reducing the impact of future health emergencies

USCIB will remain actively engaged as Member States develop the political declaration, helping to ensure that business priorities and cross-sector partnerships remain central to pandemic response frameworks.

USCIB members and staff concluded USCIB’s fourth annual “Geneva Week” last week, strengthening lines of communication between the private sector and key UN agencies and missions. Discussions throughout the week focused on the role of business in UN80 reform, Innovation and IP, and International Health Policy. The USCIB delegation included member representatives from AB InBev, Cargill, Deloitte, DIAGEO, E&Y, Ferrero, FMC Corporation, Google, Johnson & Johnson, JTI, Microsoft, MSD, and Novonesis.  

The delegation visited UN missions from several countries including Switzerland, Chile, Brazil, Philippines, Vietnam, Singapore, Japan, Australia, the United Kingdom, and United States. The delegation met with Director-General Daren Tang and other high-level representatives from the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).  

Key events at this year’s USCIB Geneva Week included a meeting with Tressa Finerty, Chargé d’Affaires and other officials at the US Mission to the UN in Geneva, a Health Policy Roundtable and Dinner hosted by Ambassador Luigi Vignali, the Permanent Representative of Italy to the UN in Geneva, to discuss contributions of the private sector to addressing global health issues, and sessions with the Permanent Representatives of Australia and Singapore. 

The USCIB Foundation also held an Expert Roundtable on Business and UN80 Reform, co-organized with E&Y and hosted by the Fédération des Entreprises Romandes Geneve. The invitation-only event brought together 70 senior leaders from UN agencies, Permanent Missions, and the private sector for a forward-looking exchange on the future of UN80 reform, focusing on institutional alignment, system-wide efficiency, and strengthened public-private collaboration. 

Opening keynote remarks at The Foundation event were delivered by Finerty and Tomas Lamanauskas, Deputy Secretary General at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). A fireside chat featuring Steven Gemmel (Microsoft) and Gillian Hinde (E&Y) highlighted the UN80 Business Pledge initiative, a pro-active private sector initiative to support UN80 reform through capacity building and partnership. The program also included two panel discussions addressing system-level reform and future pathways for more effective business engagement with the United Nations.  In his closing remarks, USCIB Vice Chair, Gerald Kunde, Ferrero, who served as Head of the USCIB Delegation during Geneva Week, stated that The USCIB Foundation will continue to engage with member state representatives to highlight the unique business capabilities that will support a resilient and impactful UN. 

The USCIB delegation concluded Geneva Week on May 1, meeting with officals from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the WHO Foundation, and then attending an information session with the International Organisation of Employers (IOE). 

USCIB will be in Paris for the BIAC Health Forum & Committee Meetings from November 30-December 5.

USCIB will be in Berlin for the World Health Summit from October 10-14.

Ashley Harrington (USCIB) at the 2025 World Health Summit.

Ashley Harrington, USCIB Policy Manager for Health and Sustainability, participated in the 2025 World Health Summit (WHS) in Berlin from October 12-14, where she emphasized the crucial role businesses play in delivering and applying global health solutions.

The WHS convened over 4,000 in-person and 10,000 online participants representing political, scientific, private sector, and civil society organizations from more than 140 countries. Under the theme of “Taking Responsibility for Health in a Fragmenting World,” WHS 2025 addressed critical global health issues at a pivotal time marked by increasing challenges in health financing and geopolitical tension.

Harrington engaged in multiple sessions that addressed topics such as the transformative potential of AI in healthcare, ongoing efforts to prevent and mitigate Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs) following the UN High Level Meeting, the significance of accessible and high-quality health data, and the value of partnerships. Several USCIB member companies, including Eli Lilly, Amazon Web Services, Google, and Bayer, were featured as panelists, showcasing their impactful contributions to global health.

Carla Cartwright (Johnson & Johnson) and Ali Karami-Ruiz (FTI Consulting).

USCIB has appointed a new Chair and Vice Chair for the USCIB Health Committee—Carla Cartwright, Head of Global Digital and Regulatory Policy at Johnson & Johnson, will serve as Chair, and Ali Karami-Ruiz, Senior Managing Director of Global Policy at FTI Consulting, will serve as Vice Chair. 

“I’m delighted to welcome our new leaders in health policy. Carla and Ali will provide strategic leadership for the Health Committee, guide our meetings, shape insights and commentary on key policy documents, and represent USCIB at major events,” said Ashley Harrington, Manager of Health and Sustainability at USCIB. 

Cartwright brings a wealth of experience in global health policy and innovation. At Johnson & Johnson, she leads a team of experts in crafting forward-looking policy strategies that support the company’s global innovation agenda. Her work includes the execution of advocacy strategies that elevate thought leadership and the development of data-driven tools to inform and shape health policy.  

Karami-Ruiz is a seasoned expert in corporate affairs, government relations, and international engagement. At FTI Consulting, he advises clients across a wide range of sectors including health, consumer goods, and technology. He has represented industry interests in high-level international forums, engaging with Minister-level officials from over 50 countries.  

USCIB will be attending the 2025 Business at OECD (BIAC) Health Forum on December 3 in Paris, France.

USCIB with staff from the TRIPS Council at the WTO. L-R: Shira Graubart (FMC Corp.), Anton Aschwanden (Google), Kristen Kaufman (USCIB), Flora Okereke (BAT), Gerald Kunde (Ferrero), Jason File (USCIB), Norine Kennedy (USCIB), Alison Hoiem (USCIB), Damon Ansell (AB InBev), Johanna Hill (WTO), JN Hill (Deloitte), Emily Dickens (SHRM), Chenai Rusike Kirkpatrick (SHRM), Roger Kampf (WTO), Ashley Harrington (USCIB), Wolf Meier-Ewert (WTO).

USCIB’s annual Geneva Week has returned!

USCIB staff and a select delegation of members traveled to Switzerland May 5-9 to meet with policymakers, influential decision-makers from government, and high-level officials from key Geneva-based UN Agencies. This year’s Geneva Week program coalesced around pertinent policy topics for US business related to innovation, IP protection, international public health, and public-private sector collaboration.  

USCIB members and staff met with representatives from the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the World Health Organization (WHO), the TRIPS Council at the World Trade Organization (WTO), the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the International Organisation of Employers (IOE) and UN Missions, namely Australia, Brazil, Italy, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and the United States.  

Jason File with USCIB members and Partners at Baker McKenzie: Eva-Maria Strobel and Pablo Bentes

USCIB member Baker McKenzie hosted a “Friends of IP” reception. The reception focused on global IP issues on the horizon and gave USCIB members a chance to meet with IP attachés from Japan, Singapore, South Korea, the UK, and the US in an informal setting. 

The USCIB Foundation also organized a “Business Pact for the Future Symposium: New Pathways for UN Impact for Business,” which USCIB member Microsoft hosted.  

USCIB meets with US Mission. L-R: Ashutosh Chadha (Microsoft), Norine Kennedy (USCIB), Alison Hoiem (USCIB), Jason File), Damon Ansell (AB InBev), Flora Okereke (BAT), JN Hill (Deloitte), Tressa Finerty (US Mission Chargé d’Affaires), Gabriela Wurcel (FMC Corp.), Gerald Kunde (Ferrero), and Shira Graubart (FMC Corp.).

The relaunch of Geneva Week this year is especially relevant because it coincides with the new Administration setting the course on international policy for the next four years. Additionally, USCIB and the UN are marking their respective 80th anniversaries.  

Chip Kunde (Ferrero) with USCIB staff Kristen Kaufman, Jason File, and Alison Hoiem

“Ensuring business continuity in a challenging global environment is a priority for Ferrero,” said Chip Kunde, Senior Vice President, Institutional Affairs & Corporate Communications at Ferrero North America, and USCIB Board member. “USCIB recognizes this imperative and restarted ‘Geneva Week’ at a critical time. The relationships we cultivate at these vital global institutions are essential to our future. We’re grateful USCIB is investing in long-term with us!” 

L-R: Norine Kennedy (USCIB); Italian Ambassador Vincenzo Grassi; Tressa Rae Finerty (US Chargé d’Affaires); Chip Kunde (Ferrero)

Geneva—a hub for technical, economic, and policy bodies within the UN system—provided an ideal setting for members to build relationships and gain unique access to officials. Members and staff also demonstrated opportunities for cooperation between business and various multilateral institutions and showcased their commitments to shared global goals, such as the SDGs. 

L-R: Anton Aschwanden (Google); Luke Hindlaugh (Cargill); Jason File (USCIB); Chip Kunde (Ferrero); Alison Hoiem (USCIB); Morten Enggaard Rasmussen (Novonesis); Ashley Harrington (USCIB); Kristen Kaufman (USCIB)

“USCIB’s Geneva Week offers a vital platform for advancing employer perspectives in global policy conversations,” said Emily M. Dickens, Chief of Staff, Head of Public Affairs & Corporate Secretary at the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), and a USCIB Board member. “At SHRM, we know that workplace issues don’t stop at borders—so neither can our advocacy. Engaging with international institutions through Geneva Week strengthens SHRM’s ability to champion people-centered policies that empower employers and workers alike, ensuring workplaces around the world are equipped for the future of work.” 

USCIB co-signed a multi-association letter to the Biden Administration at the end of February strongly opposing the proposed expansion of the WTO TRIPS waiver to cover COVID-19 diagnostics and therapeutics. The letter was addressed to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, USTR Katherine Tai, Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo and White House Chief of Staff Jeffrey Zients.  

The letter advanced the same arguments USCIB made in its submission last year to the U.S. International Trade Commission (Investigation No. 332-596) on the TRIPS waiver extension: the extension would undermine innovation, global health security as well as research and development for products that are fundamental to fighting global crises. USCIB was deeply disappointed with the TRIPS waiver for COVID-19 vaccines announced at the WTO in June 2022. Extending the waiver to diagnostics and therapeutics would further erode international rule of law.

As such, USCIB welcomed the outcome at the 13th WTO Ministerial Conference in Abu Dhabi last week to table this proposal.  

“For nearly 30 years, the WTO TRIPS Agreement has served its role well in providing the global legal architecture for supporting and driving innovation,” said USCIB Senior Vice President for Trade, Investment and Digital Policy Alice Slayton Clark. “The waiver extension would have represented a virtual death knell not only for the pharmaceutical industry but also for innovative industry writ large.”