• Research
  • Strategic Europe
  • About
  • Experts
Carnegie Europe logoCarnegie lettermark logo
EUNATO
  • Donate
A Quiet Force: Health Cooperation in U.S.-Russian Relations
Report

A Quiet Force: Health Cooperation in U.S.-Russian Relations

U.S.-Russian public health cooperation has led to extraordinary achievements, from the development and production of the Sabin polio vaccine to the eradication of smallpox. But the full potential of this collaboration has not yet been achieved.

Link Copied
Published on Mar 19, 2013

Additional Links

Full TextРезюме
REQUIRED IMAGE

Project

U.S.-Russia Bilateral Presidential Commission

Learn More

U.S.-Russian public health cooperation has led to extraordinary achievements, from the development and production of the Sabin polio vaccine to the eradication of smallpox. But the full potential of this collaboration has not yet been achieved. Deeper bilateral engagement could drive innovation and economic growth for both countries and the world. Unlocking this latent power requires leadership, resources, know-how, and strong institutional foundations.

The Public-Private Task Force on U.S.-Russian Health Cooperation

  • The U.S.-Russia Bilateral Presidential Commission’s Working Group on Health can play a central role in deepening U.S.-Russian health engagement.
  • To support the commission’s work, the Carnegie Endowment established the Public-Private Task Force on U.S.-Russian Health Cooperation.
  • Subcommittees on strategic resource allocation, healthy lifestyles, science cooperation and technology transfer, and regulatory convergence and harmonization contributed to the task force’s work.
  • The task force issued a set of overarching strategic recommendations that cut across these four areas of focus, as well as specific recommendations in each area.

Strategic Recommendations for U.S.-Russian Health Cooperation

Transform the relationship into one of equal partners. Russia and the United States should move past their post-Soviet donor-recipient relationship and address global health challenges as equal partners.

Find areas where interests align. Focusing on issues that affect multiple stakeholders, such as noncommunicable diseases, will attract the resources and know-how to advance the relationship.

Maintain the momentum of cooperation. Collaboration on a regular basis, not just during times of crisis, will help ensure effective responses at critical times.

Recognize the importance of Track II activities. Facilitating interactions such as peer-to-peer exchanges will build relationships that can produce real outcomes.

Encourage public-private cooperation. Collaboration across sectors will generate the optimal combination of political leadership, technological know-how, and resources.

Take advantage of regional- and state-level strengths. Establishing cooperative relationships at the state level in the United States and the regional level in Russia may help accelerate progress.

North AmericaUnited StatesRussiaForeign Policy

Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.

More Work from Carnegie Europe

  • Paper
    A Grand Strategy for Europe’s Clean Industrial Future

    Europe’s industrial supply chains leave it vulnerable to global shocks. The EU needs a pragmatic green industrial strategy that balances durable partnerships and bolsters homegrown clean tech without sacrificing low-carbon ambition.

      Milo McBride, Pauline Gerard

  • Commentary
    Strategic Europe
    Europe Needs a Strategy for its Turn to New Defense Tech

    Defense tech innovations will be at the heart of Europe’s new security strategy. But so far, Brussels has been making moves without a broader plan, undermining readiness and credibility.

      Raluca Csernatoni

  • Commentary
    Strategic Europe
    Taking the Pulse: Is European Diplomacy on Iran Outdated?

    When the U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding was announced, the UK, France, Germany, and Italy declared their readiness to help demine the Strait of Hormuz and lift nuclear sanctions on Tehran. But does Europe need new tools to recover a diplomatic role?

      • Rym Momtaz

      Rym Momtaz, ed.

  • Commentary
    Strategic Europe
    France and Germany Need Their Own Situation Room

    The Franco-German relationship is on the rocks again. But unlike previous moments of tension, the epochal changes on the world stage require that both step up investment in their bilateral ties.

      • Rym Momtaz

      Rym Momtaz

  • Europe trade economy container supply chains
    Paper
    From Trade Dependence to Geopolitical Leverage: The EU in an Era of Weaponized Interdependence

    As geopolitical rivalry weaponizes global supply chains, the EU’s true vulnerability lies in emerging-risk imports. For these goods, suppliers are growing more concentrated, substitution more difficult, and political risk is looming.

      Sinan Ülgen

Get more news and analysis from
Carnegie Europe
Carnegie Europe logo, white
Rue du Congrès, 151000 Brussels, Belgium
  • Research
  • Strategic Europe
  • About
  • Experts
  • Projects
  • Events
  • Contact
  • Careers
  • Privacy
  • For Media
  • Gender Equality Plan
Get more news and analysis from
Carnegie Europe
© 2026 Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. All rights reserved.