As part of the global health community, we are always working to raise the profile of the neglected tropical diseases. 

A paper  released in the January 26^th, 2010 edition of the online peer-reviewed scientific journal PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, looks at the lack of research and attention given to the NTDs.  Author Dieter Vanderelst,an economist at the University of Antwerp, argues that scientific research into the NTDs lags behind other diseases which have a similar burden around the world. Not only does this disparity exist, but it is likely underestimated.

The researchers write that, “The disproportionally low research interest in NTDs is doubly worrying if one considers that the DALYs associated with NTDs are generally assumed to be underestimated.” DALYs are a public health measurement that takes into account the years of life a person loses due to either illness or death from a specific disease. Although there has been measurable growth in the body of research around the NTDs, this has been largely attributed to the creation of the NTD specific PloS journal.

Similarly, resources for NTDs are growing due to the increased interest in global health and now many new partners are working on cost effective and efficient solutions and interventions.  “It will be necessary for civil society, scientists, and policymakers alike to break this cycle so that some of the most common infections among the 2.7 billion people living on less than US$ 2 per day receive the attention they deserve.” Although progress is being made, there is still a lot of work to be done.

With the release of President Obama’s proposed FY11 budget allocating $155 million towards NTD control and elimination efforts it seems as if the Administration is making NTDs a significant priority. In particular, the Administration is seeking to reduce the prevalence of NTDs globally by 50% within 70% of all of the affected population, eliminate onchocerciasis in Latin America by 2016, eliminate lymphatic filariasis globally by 2017, and eliminate leprosy globally. With this new focus on NTDs, and the associated increase in resources, perhaps the research gap for NTDs will begin to close.