Health Technology Access Pool (HTAP) by the WHO

By HEOR Staff Writer

February 19, 2024

WHO’s Health Technology Access Pool

The World Health Organization (WHO) has recently announced the Health Technology Access Pool (HTAP). This serves as a successor to the COVID-19 Technology Access Pool (C-TAP). This initiative marks a significant step towards more equitable access to a broad range of health products. The aim is to enhance global health security.

From C-TAP to HTAP: A Journey of Evolution

Launched in May 2020, C-TAP was a collaborative effort between WHO, the Government of Costa Rica, and other partners. This platform was instrumental in providing a forum for technology partners to share intellectual property, knowledge, and data voluntarily. Despite the challenges of establishing a novel mechanism amidst a pandemic, C-TAP managed to secure six transparent, non-exclusive global licences involving 15 technologies that span research and development (R&D) tools, diagnostics, and vaccines.

Building on C-TAP’s Foundation

HTAP is built on the foundation laid by C-TAP but incorporates structural, process, and other changes to attract and support a diverse range of priority technologies more effectively. It aims to promote access to health products that respond to public health priorities, including pandemic preparedness, and are relevant during and outside health emergencies.

Amplifying Public Health Value

HTAP investments will amplify the public health value and increase the attractiveness of licensed technologies to recipient manufacturers. This approach will realise greater market opportunities and financial sustainability. The announcement on the licensing of a rapid diagnostic test platform technology serves as an example of such an approach.

The Future of HTAP: Awaiting Further Details

In the first quarter of 2024, WHO will publish further details on how HTAP will operate and the technologies it will target. Plans are in place to officially launch HTAP in the second quarter of 2024. In the interim, WHO will adopt the principles and approach described above in evaluating opportunities to secure health technologies and expand regional or global production capacity.

Reference url

Recent Posts

Paving the Way for Digital Health Technologies: NICE’s Bold New Strategy for the NHS

By HEOR Staff Writer

October 9, 2025

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is expanding its technology appraisals programme, and starting April 2026, this will include digital health technologies that are placed on an equal legal footing with medicines in the NHS. This initiative forms part of the NHS 10-year ...
Health Misinformation Autism: The Dangers of Politicized Science in Vaccine and Drug Discourse

By João L. Carapinha

October 7, 2025

The BMJ article “Tylenol, vaccines, and autism: the medical mayhem of the MAGA methodologists” argues that political and ideological actors, notably aligned with the MAGA movement, are promoting health misinformation about autism, vaccines, and paracetamol. They amplify preliminary, misinterprete...
Lurbinectedin SCLC Therapy: FDA Approval and Its Economic Implications

By João L. Carapinha

October 6, 2025

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recently approved lurbinectedin SCLC therapy in combination with atezolizumab, or with atezolizumab and hyaluronidase-qvfc, for the treatment of adult patients with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC). This regulatory decision reflects ...