Unitaid Call for Applications: Investigating the Heat Stability of Health Products in the Context of Climate Change
Unitaid seeks proposals to investigate how climate change, specifically rising heat and humidity, impacts the stability, safety, and effectiveness of critical health products (pharmaceuticals, diagnostics, and medical devices) across their full lifecycle, from manufacturing to delivery. The focus is on low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) where fragile health systems heighten risks.
The investment will serve as a foundation for future research and action at the intersection of health and climate change.
Objectives:
- Strengthen the evidence base of real-world conditions and worst-case scenarios that health products are exposed to, globally, across their lifecycle. Utilize this evidence to assess the vulnerabilities and possible impact on key products and product classes, making direct linkages to the impact on the health of communities, where possible;
- Map the solution and opportunity space for improving heat resilience of health products;
- If appropriate and aligned with evidence, advance solutions in an opportunistic manner, including lighthouse projects that could demonstrate proof-of-concept for priority innovations to mitigate heat vulnerability.
Eligibility:
- Partners with expertise in both the risks of climate change and the technical aspects of health product stability, with the ability to assess the impact of climate-related risks (such as extreme heat and humidity) on health products and their supply chains.
- Partners with expertise across multiple disease areas, or a mechanism to include representation and inputs from partners in other disease areas if not included in the consortium itself.
- Partners with technical expertise in health product testing norms, standards, and guidelines to evaluate how environmental stressors are integrated into product development, regulatory and registration processes. This should include an ability to efficiently conduct both field and laboratory studies, where needed.
- Partners with a demonstrated ability to source, analyze, and support high-priority innovations, especially those developed in the global south.
- Community-based organizations who can lead on ensuring approaches, methods, and innovations are contextually relevant, demand-driven and informed by real-world experiences and insights.
Funding details:
- Unitaid solicits project proposals that should not exceed a maximum of three years.
- The total approximate funding for all work outlined in this Call for Proposals will depend on proposals received and the scope of work undertaken – but is expected to be approximately US$ 10 million for this initial investment.
- Co-funding: Proponents are encouraged to indicate potential, or secured, sources of co-funding for the program or for complementary activities. This is not required, but will strengthen proposals if included.
Read more here.
Application deadline, 23rd of January 2026 (noon).
