Health Action International

What Health Action International does

Health Action International (HAI) is a non-profit organization founded in 1981 and headquartered in Amsterdam, Netherlands, dedicated to strengthening pharmaceutical policy to improve equitable access to medicines and to promote the rational use of pharmaceuticals. HAI operates as a policy-research and advocacy organization rather than a product company: its core outputs are policy analyses, advocacy campaigns, participation in WHO and European Medicines Agency processes, and multi-country programmatic interventions. It holds ANBI (Dutch Public Benefit Institution) status and official relations status with the World Health Organization, both of which confer formal standing in global health governance forums.

HAI's work is organized around several thematic verticals, including access to medicines in Europe, insulin access, snakebite envenoming in low- and middle-income countries, sexual and reproductive health and rights, and, more recently, the governance of artificial intelligence and automated decision-making in medicines. Delivery is conducted through a partner network spanning more than 70 countries and through flagship multi-country programmes such as the EU-funded SHARP project, which operated across six African countries over a four-year horizon and contributed to legislative outcomes including Rwanda's sexual and reproductive health law. The organization also convenes coalitions such as the Digital Rights and Health Alliance.

HAI's business model is that of a grant-funded non-profit: revenue is drawn from institutional donors (notably European Union project grants), thematic philanthropy (e.g., the European AI Fund), and donations, with programmatic expenditure directed to research, advocacy, and capacity-building across its partner network. Leadership transitioned in early 2026, with Renée Vasbinder assuming the Executive Director role in March 2026 following Tim Reed's departure.

Name

Health Action International

Legal name

Health Action International

Website

https://haiweb.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Health Action International (HAI) is an Amsterdam-based non-profit founded in 1981 that conducts pharmaceutical policy research and advocacy to improve equitable access to medicines and rational medicine use, operating through a partner network spanning more than 70 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Health Policy Advocacy

NAICS

Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Human Rights Organizations (813311)

SIC

Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Global Health Advocacy, Policy & Rights Organizations (HLAJAKAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Health Systems Strengthening & Global Health Technical Assistance (BPADAEAH), Public Health Strategy, Policy & Legislation (HLAJAMAA)

Keywords

• Pharmaceutical policy advocacy
• Access to medicines
• Global health policy
• Medicines affordability research
• Public health advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Amsterdam

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Membership: Health Action International operates primarily through donations from individuals and organizations. The organization offers membership options and accepts both one-time and monthly donations at various tiers (€20, €50, €150, €250, €500 or custom amounts).
2. EU Project Funding: The organization receives significant funding from the European Union for specific projects such as the SHARP (Solutions for Supporting Healthy Adolescents and Rights Protection) Project. The EU co-funds the website and various project activities.
3. European AI Fund Grant: Health Action International received core funding from the European Artificial Intelligence Fund to strengthen advocacy and policy capacity in AI and automated decision-making areas.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Health Action International is an independent non-governmental organisation entirely dedicated to strengthening pharmaceutical policy to improve public health. It conducts research, advocacy, and policy engagement across thematic programmes covering snakebite treatment and prevention, insulin access, medicines pricing in Europe, health misinformation, AI in healthcare, sexual and reproductive health, and adolescent health.

Product overview

Health Action International (HAI) is an independent non-governmental organisation entirely dedicated to strengthening pharmaceutical policy to improve public health. It operates a portfolio of thematic project areas rather than a commercial product. Its core activities span research, advocacy and policy engagement organised around thematic programmes: the Snakebite Treatment and Prevention Project (including tools such as first-aid posters, the Safiya comic book, and the Snakebite Community Engagement Network); the ACCISS Study on insulin access; Access to Medicines in Europe; Prices, Availability & Affordability research; Health-Centric Approach to AI; Sexual and Reproductive Health including the multi-stakeholder family planning programme; and the SHARP (Supporting Healthy Adolescents and Rights Protection) project. Cross-cutting resources include a Publications library, the Politics of Medicines Encyclopaedia, and the Digital Rights and Health Alliance. The organisation also produces country-specific fact sheets, reports, and educational materials and maintains a global network spanning more than 70 countries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SHARP (Solutions for Supporting Healthy Adolescents & Rights Protection): A multi-country project dedicated to improving adolescents' sexual and reproductive health and rights and addressing their high unmet need for family planning, operating in Kenya, Burundi, DRC, Rwanda, Tanzania and Zambia.
• Digital Rights and Health Alliance
• Snakebite Programme
• ACCISS Study

Products and services

• Snakebite Treatment and Prevention Project Flagship initiative focused on gathering evidence on snakebite incidence, empowering communities and healthcare workers through capacity building and education, and advocating for policy action on snakebite at local, national and global levels to improve prevention, treatment and rehabilitation.
• ACCISS Study (Insulin Access and Affordability) A major research and advocacy programme dedicated to improving access to insulin worldwide, investigating pricing, availability and affordability of insulin products globally.
• Access to Medicines in Europe Advocacy and policy work focused on medicines pricing, transparency, trade, and research and development within the European Union, engaging with WHO bodies and EU institutions.
• Prices, Availability & Affordability Research Research and advocacy work studying the price, availability and affordability of essential medicines across countries, including mark-ups and supply chain factors affecting access.
• Health-Centric Approach to AI Research, advocacy and communications work examining the impact of artificial intelligence in healthcare and on access to medicines, including bias in AI data, regulatory frameworks (EU AI Act), and patient rights.
• Multi-Stakeholder Approach to Family Planning (SRHR) A multi-stakeholder programme improving adolescents' sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), addressing unmet need for family planning, and increasing supply and demand for SRH commodities through community engagement and religious leader involvement.
• Supporting Healthy Adolescents (SHARP)

Quantifiable outcome

• Contributed to WHO adoption of snakebite envenoming as category A NTD in 2017
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Global Snakebite InitiativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with HAI on advocacy to get snakebite envenoming onto WHO's priority list of neglected tropical diseases. Joint press releases and campaigns to advance snakebite policy. Co-founded 'Women Champions of Snakebite' campaign and network.
• World Health Organization (WHO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHAI holds 'official relations' status with WHO - the highest recognition for NGOs. Actively engaged with WHO bodies on NTDs, AMR, pharmaceutical policy, and global health governance. Participated in WHO-led Snakebite Roadmap development.
• Medicines Patent PoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHAI has issued statements supporting and providing critical analysis of the Medicines Patent Pool's licensing agreements. Acknowledges MPP as one mechanism to improve public health while continuing to campaign for complementary strategies.
• Access to Medicines Platform KenyacoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerIn-country research partner for SHARP Project conducting studies on SRH commodity availability, affordability, and stockouts in Kenya (Isiolo, Marsabit, Mandera counties). Also partner in snakebite research in Kenya.
• Medicines Access and Research Platform (MedRAP)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSHARP implementing partner in Zambia conducting parallel research on SRH commodity availability across public, private, and faith-based facilities in Zambia.
• CAFCO (Le Cadre Permanent de Concertation de la Femme Congolaise)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSHARP implementing partner in Democratic Republic of Congo focused on women's leadership in advancing sexual and reproductive health rights.
• RNGOF (Rwanda NGOs Forum on HIV/AIDS and Health Promotion)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSHARP implementing partner in Rwanda that contributed to groundbreaking SRH law allowing 15-year-olds to access SRH services without parental consent.
• TwitezimberecoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSHARP implementing partner in Burundi. Conducted technical committee meetings and prepared for SRH research data collection in Burundi.
• EANNASOcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSHARP implementing partner in Tanzania and regional coordination role.
• NANHRI (National African Institution Resource)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional partner in the SHARP Project for African Great Lakes Region coordination.
• Save The SnakesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Snakebite Community Engagement Network. Hiral Naik serves as Africa Program Manager at Save The Snakes while also chairing the Network's Steering Committee.
• Snakebite Healing & Education Society (SHE-INDIA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational-level civil society organization in India focused on preventing and controlling snakebites. Founder Priyanka Kadam serves on WHO's Global Snakebite Envenoming Working Group and works with Indian government on National Guidelines.
• Consumers InternationalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHAI was originally established under the umbrella of Consumers International in 1981. Continues as an independent organization while maintaining connections to the global consumer rights network.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi): DNDi is a collaborative R&D organisation developing treatments for neglected patients, sharing HAI's focus on neglected tropical diseases (notably snakebite) and patient-centred pharmaceutical innovation models.
• Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) — Access Campaign: MSF's Access Campaign is the most prominent civil society effort pushing for affordable medicines and medical innovation for neglected populations. Highly comparable to HAI on pharmaceutical policy advocacy, intellectual property reform, and access-to-medicines research.
• Treatment Action Group (TAG): TAG advocates for evidence-based treatment access and research policy for HIV, TB, and HCV. Comparable to HAI on evidence-driven access advocacy and engagement with WHO/UN policy processes.
• Global Health Advocates: A French-based advocacy NGO pushing for stronger European political and financial commitments to global health, sharing HAI's EU policy engagement on medicines, R&D, and health systems.
• Third World Network: TWN is an international network engaged in policy advocacy on trade, health, and intellectual property from a Global South perspective, aligning closely with HAI's access-to-medicines and TRIPS waiver positions.
• Medicines Law & Policy: A small advisory and advocacy organisation focused on pharmaceutical law and policy, overlapping with HAI's work on transparency, clinical trial reporting, and EU regulatory frameworks.
• Knowledge Ecology International (KEI): KEI is an NGO focused on intellectual property, access to medicines, and innovation policy, with similar advocacy on TRIPS, transparency, and pricing that overlaps directly with HAI's European medicines policy work.
• Public Citizen — Access to Medicines Program: Public Citizen runs an Access to Medicines program advocating for affordable drugs and against pharma monopolies, sharing HAI's emphasis on transparency, trade agreements, and policy reform.
• Global Snakebite Initiative: GSI is HAI's explicit co-campaign partner on snakebite envenoming advocacy, jointly credited with WHO NTD classification. Directly comparable on snakebite-specific community engagement and policy work.

Broad incumbents

• Consumers International: HAI was founded under Consumers International's umbrella in 1981. CI is a much larger federation of consumer rights groups with broader scope, but shares the pharmaceutical-consumer-protection and DTC-advertising advocacy lineage.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/HAImedicines
• Facebookfacebook.com/HAImedicines
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/haimedicines

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Health Action International