Meet Jayasree K. Iyer

Jayasree first appeared on our Power List in 2016 as managing director of the Access to Medicine Foundation. Today, she leads the organization in its work to advance health equity by tracking how the pharmaceutical industry reaches people who need lifesaving medicines. Under her leadership, the Foundation has grown into an influential research organization that benchmarks company performance and helps shape the policies and practices of both companies and governments.

Jayasree has expanded the Foundation’s scope across originator companies, generic medicine manufacturers, medical oxygen producers, vaccine companies, and diagnostic companies, while also helping build the largest institutional investor signatory base in healthcare. Through the Access to Medicine Index and related research programs, she continues to push the industry to integrate access, equity, and affordability into drug development and commercialization strategies from the earliest stages.

“I do what I do because health equity is within our reach; it is in the hands of people who choose whether to act or not. We can save lives when people choose to integrate early access plans in drug development, push boundaries, and work with the right partners in the right way. It’s about challenging organizations to not only do better, but to collaborate strategically and ensure innovations reach those who need them most.”