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Advancing Science for Global Health
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Home > Global Health Matters July/August 2024 > Article series focuses on global health reciprocal innovation Print

Article series focuses on reciprocal innovation

July/August 2024 | Volume 23 Number 4

An illustration of a globe with two arrows circling it. The arrows represent shared health challenges and share health innovations. Fogarty International Center

As part of Fogarty's Center of Global Health Studies' Global Health Reciprocal Innovation project, a series of articles has been published as a supplement in BMJ Global Health. Sponsored by Fogarty in partnership with NIH Institutes, Centers, and Offices (ICOs), the supplement highlights examples, successes, and challenges in the exchange of innovations between low/middle-income and high-income countries.

“Reciprocal Innovation," as defined by the Indiana University Center for Global Health, is the "bi-directional and iterative exchange of a technology, methodology, or process between at least two countries, one lower- or middle-income country and one high-income country, to address a common health challenge and provide mutual benefit to both sides."

The eight-article series features examples, such as multidirectional learning between the US Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program and the US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEFAR). From the early days of  PEPFAR, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) laid the path for transitioning PEPFAR activities from US-based organizations to sustainable, country-led entities. As global programs matured, lessons learned within LMICs gradually began strengthening health services in the U.S.  One example in India was the use of psychology-trained lay counsellors for suicide prevention screenings and referrals developed in the U.S. and tailored to key populations' needs in India. Lessons learned from the adaptation of this program in India were later used for South Asian communities in the U.S.

Other articles in the series focus on ethical, legal and regulatory considerations, for funders, sponsors, and investigators and strategies to promote equitable bidirectional research training opportunities.  Many of the authors followed up on publication with a satellite session at AIDS2024, the the 25th International AIDS Conference, entitled Global health reciprocal innovation (GHRI): optimizing the global impact of health interventions through novel research partnerships and knowledge exchange.

More Information

Updated August 20, 2024


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