Our Labs. Our Drugs. Our Responsibility.

In 2001, a small group of Yale students sparked a revolution that would change the world forever. Together with Médecins Sans Frontières, they convinced Yale and Bristol-Myers Squibb to allow generic production of an HIV/AIDS drug in sub-Saharan Africa, resulting in a 30-fold price reduction. This marked the beginning of a global youth-led movement that is breaking down barriers and giving people access to life-saving medicines.

United by a shared mission, UAEM has since grown into a worldwide network of over 100 university chapters spanning 6 continents and 20 countries. These young activists, from diverse backgrounds in medicine, science, public health, economics and more, are driving change and shaping the future of global health equity.

Our Vision is a world where universities and research institutions play a key role in promoting access to life-saving medicines and technologies for all, regardless of income.

We believe that drugs developed in university labs with public funds must be accessible to the people who need them, and that our universities have a responsibility to make this a reality.

Our Mission is simple but powerful: we work to promote access to medicines and medical innovations, change norms and practices in academic patenting and licensing, and empower students to advocate for a biomedical R&D system that works for everyone. Guided by principles of non-partisanship, democracy, transparency, solidarity and respect, we are a non-profit organization driven by the passion and commitment of our members.

As students from all over the world, we stand united in our belief that access to medicines is a basic human right. Universities have a social contract with society, and as educational and research institutions, they have a responsibility to promote and manage the deployment of innovations for the public benefit. With the intellectual sophistication, rigor and integrity of our members, we will fight for increased innovation and access to medicines and health-related technologies for all.

Join us on this journey to change the world.

Featured Projects

  • UAEM Evidence

    A place for UAEM publications from around the world, and key documents to reference in work for access to medicines.

    Go there

  • Global Health Grades

    Not all Universities are equal in their commitment to global health equity. See how yours stacks up.

    Check your grade

  • COVID-19 Mapping

    In 2021, UAEM mapped COVID-19 projects funded with public dollars. Our tracking tool aims to map where public funding and tax-payer supported R&D initiatives are taking place, in order to better support policy making that ensures that these crucial COVID-19 vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics are affordable to all.

    See more

  • Take Back Our Meds

    UAEM has long advocated for publicly-funded inventions to be affordable for the public. Learn more about our work to push universities, governments, and international bodies to make sure medicine is affordable for all.

    Read More

  • Free the Vaccine

    COVID-19 diagnostic tools, treatments, and vaccines must be available to everyone everywhere, free at the point-of-delivery. It’s time for a change. One that saves lives and helps the battle against the coronavirus. It comes via Free the Vaccine for COVID-19 and the work of coalitions across the globe to make sure these publicly funded medicines are affordable and accessible for all.

    Learn More