All posts by Nicole Cavino

Prioritizing NTDs in Foreign Aid Spending

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This week, both the Senate and House Appropriations Subcommittees on State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs met to mark up their respective appropriations bill for fiscal year (FY) 2015. The Global Network’s policy team has tracked the process closely to better understand the funding allocations Congress will likely recommend for the United States’ global health programs, and particularly for the United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) Program.

In January we celebrated the passage of the FY 2014 appropriations law, which quadrupled funding for USAID’s NTD Program since FY 2009. This funding increase demonstrates that Congress recognizes the value of the public/private partnership that makes USAID’s NTD Program a success.

However, in his budget request for FY 2015, President Obama recommended cutting NTD funding by more than 13 percent. Gratefully, Chairman Leahy, Ranking Member Graham and the rest of the Senate Subcommittee approved a funding level of $100 million for USAID’s NTD Program yesterday, matching last year’s funding level and topping the President’s request by $13.5 million. And funding through the House for USAID’s global health programs was approved at $2.6 billion– $257 million above the President’s request, yet still below the FY 2014 enacted level.

As we move through the appropriations process, the Global Network and our partners in the global health community will continue to call for an increased commitment of resources to comprehensively address NTDs. We applaud the policymakers that appreciate the gravity of the global NTD burden and urge others in Congress to take action during this funding cycle in support of NTD programming. Working toward the control and elimination of these debilitating diseases is essential to achieving the United States’ broader economic and development goals.

Sabin Celebrates 20 Years of Operations with a Star-Studded Event

 

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This post originally appeared on the Sabin Vaccine Institute blog.

In celebration of twenty years since its founding, the Sabin Vaccine Institute (Sabin) will bring together top leaders in the global health community for its 20th Anniversary Scientific Symposium on Friday, April 25 in Washington, DC.

The program will include an impressive lineup of speakers including Dr. Seth Berkley (GAVI Alliance); Dr. Margaret Chan (WHO); Dr. Mickey Chopra (UNICEF); Dr. Carissa Etienne (PAHO); Dr. Julio Frenk (Harvard University); Dr. Julie Gerberding (Merck Vaccines and the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers & Associations); Dr. Lance Gordon (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation); and Dr. Mahendra Suhardono (Biofarma and the Developing Countries Vaccine Manufacturers Network).  On behalf of Sabin’s vaccine leadership, President Dr. Peter Hotez and Executive Vice President Dr. Ciro de Quadros will also make remarks at the event.

By bringing together a diverse group of scientists, advocates and global health experts, Sabin will foster a thought-provoking discussion about best practices, lessons learned and prospects for the future of global health.  With executive leadership from the NGO community, multilateral institutions, pharmaceutical industry, and academia, attendees will hear how stakeholders from various vantage points – from the NGO, private and public sectors – are uniquely positioned to address pressing global health challenges across the world.

This event is open to the public; to register, please visit the event registration page.

Join the Conversation: Pharmaceuticals and Partnerships in the Fight Against NTDs

 

Photo by Mo Scarpeli

Photo by Mo Scarpeli

Recently, Dr. Neeraj Mistry, Managing Director for the Global Network, joined the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) for an online conversation about neglected tropical diseases (NTDs).  He was joined by industry and NGO leaders in highlighting the importance of innovative partnerships and the vital role of pharmaceutical companies in fighting these diseases.

“Over the past year, we have seen some encouraging signs of progress from regional and national bodies in NTD-endemic regions,” Dr. Mistry said.  “Thirty-six African nations have developed multi-year national plans to control and eliminate NTDs by 2020. Also, at WHO’s 63rd Regional Committee for Africa, countries adopted a regional strategic plan recommending increased access to treatments, resource mobilization, advocacy, and monitoring and evaluation, surveillance and research.  In the past several months, the World Health Assembly, Organization of American States and African Union have all adopted resolutions against NTDs and strengthen efforts to integrate NTD programs into other health sectors.”

Through large-scale treatment donation, expanded research, increased information sharing and building cross-sector networks, the pharmaceutical industry has demonstrated a long-term commitment to combating NTDs.  AbbVie, for example, is collaborating with foundations and academic institutions to provide a library of chemicals to screen against NTDs, while GlaxoSmithKline has partnered with Pfizer and CARE India to research ways to eliminate visceral leishmaniasis.  And Merck now reaches more than 200 million people annually through its innovative, multi-sector Mectizan Donation Program, which focuses on combating onchocerciasis and has been expanded to include treatment for LF.

But the fight is not yet over, and the pharmaceutical industry is just one part of a diverse group of stakeholders – from NGOs and policymakers to industry and academic institutions – leading the charge against NTDs.  “Funding is being mobilized, but more is needed.  The capacity to deliver treatments in some countries needs strengthening.  New diagnostics are needed to better understand when to start and stop treatments.  For some diseases, new and better drugs or treatment strategies are needed to fill gaps where current therapies are limited or lacking.  Endemic country governments need the political will and resources to address NTDs in their countries,” noted Brenda Colatrella, Merck’s Executive Director of Corporate Responsibility.

Through collaboration, innovation and sustained commitment, these partners can, and will, continue to make progress toward control and elimination of these diseases.

To read the entire conversation, click here.