Thirteen pharmaceutical companies have agreed to donate 14 billion doses of medicine for neglected tropical diseases (NTD) by the end of 2020. And that s not all they ve also come together to devote $785 million in support of NTD research and development intended to fight ailments such as Guinea worm disease, Chagas disease, and leprosy, all of which plague developing nations. The news is especially remarkable because research into effective drugs for these illnesses has often been neglected by pharmaceutical companies, since they disproportionately affect poor countries despite afflicting a billion people worldwide.
Margaret Chan, the director general of the World Health Organization, lauded the coordinated effort. These ancient diseases are now being brought to their knees with stunning speed, she declared.
Further strengthening the initiative, both the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations and the Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative will grant open access to information on chemical compounds that could lead to new treatments and cures. The Gates Foundation also contributed.
ACSH applauds these drug makers and affiliated organizations for their concerted effort to eliminate the global burden of NTDs.