NewsNeglected diseases see cut in research funding

Neglected diseases see cut in research funding

Total funding for research and development (R&D) on neglected diseases has suffered major cuts in the wake of the global financial crisis, although the impact has been reduced by a substantial increase in private sector funding, according to a major annual report.

The fourth Global Funding of Innovation for Neglected Diseases (G-FINDER) survey found that year-on-year funding for neglected disease R&D decreased by 3.5 per cent (US$109 million) from 2009 to 2010 — the first overall decrease since the survey began in 2007. The survey was prepared by Policy Cures through a project supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

The decrease resulted from lower contributions by the public sector, which still provided almost two-thirds of global funding in 2010, as well as by the philanthropic sector.

Research into diseases that rely on investment from public and philanthropic sectors — such as HIV/AIDS, malaria and diarrhoeal diseases — were hit the hardest, with funding for HIV/AIDS research decreasing by five per cent.

In contrast, diseases with substantial funding from industry, including tuberculosis and dengue, were largely protected.

You can download the whole report here.

Source: SciDevNet (Naomi Antony) Editor Countries / organization: Global Topic: Life Sciences

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