the need for more investment in tuberculosis research
TRANSCRIPT
Correspondence
www.thelancet.com/lancetgh Vol 1 October 2013 e186
The need for more investment in tuberculosis research
We welcome the insightful Article on fi nancing for tuberculosis control by Katherine Floyd and colleagues (August, p e105)1 from the Global TB programme at WHO. The fi nding that many countries, including the BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa), are becoming increasingly self-suffi cient in funding tuberculosis control is truly a success story, and one that the investigators should be applauded for documenting.
However, tuberculosis control also requires research into new preventive measures, diagnostic approaches, and drugs, which were beyond the scope of Floyd and colleagues’ study. Recent analyses by the Treatment Action Group,2 Research Investments in Global Health (RESIN),3 and G-FINDER4 report a relative underinvestment for tuberculosis compared with other high-burden infectious diseases.
Research investments are poorly documented, particularly among the BRICS countries, which is detrimental to the task of finding innovative solutions to address today’s global health problems. With rising multidrug resistance and the continued search for a new tuberculosis vaccine, stimulating research through increased investment warrants prompt attention.
WHO is currently reviewing the feasibility of establishing a Global Observatory for Research and Development.5,6 We strongly support this eff ort. However, pharmaceutical companies need to be more open with their research portfolios, which could translate into more effective tuberculosis control in the near future.
Financing for tuberculosis care and control is improving. However, interpreting the latest estimates without data for research investments could lead us to a false sense of security, particularly with the growing threats of multidrug-resistant
tuberculosis, HIV co-infection, and an unpredictable economic climate. We declare that we have no confl icts of interest.
Joseph R Fitchett*, Michael G Head, Rifat Atunjoseph.fi [email protected]
School of Medicine, King’s College London, London SE1 9RT, UK (JRF); Research Department of Infection and Population Health, University College London, London, UK (MGH); Imperial College London, London, UK (RA); and Harvard School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA (RA)
1 Floyd K, Fitzpatrick C, Pantoja A, Raviglione M. Domestic and donor fi nancing for tuberculosis care and control in low-income and middle-income countries: an analysis of trends, 2002–11, and requirements to meet 2015 targets. Lancet Glob Health 2013; 1: e105–15.
2 Jiminez-Levi E. Tuberculosis research and development: 2012 report on tuberculosis research funding trends, 2005–2011. New York: Treatment Action Group, 2012. http://www.treatmentactiongroup.org/sites/tagone.drupalgardens.com/fi les/tbrd2012%20fi nal.pdf (accessed July 29, 2013).
3 Head MG, Fitchett JR, Cooke MK, Wurie FB, Hayward AC, Atun R. UK investments in global infectious disease research 1997–2010: a case study. Lancet Infect Dis 2013; 13: 55–64.
4 Moran M, Guzman J, Henderson K, et al. Neglected disease research and development: a fi ve year review. Sydney: Policy Cures, 2012. http://www.policycures.org/downloads/GF2012_Report.pdf (accessed July 29, 2013).
5 Røttingen J-A, Regmi S, Eide M. et al. Mapping of available health research and development data: what’s there, what’s missing, and what role is there for a global observatory? Lancet 2013; published online May 20. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(13)61046-6.
6 WHO. Draft working paper 1: a global health R&D observatory—developing a case for its development. Geneva: World Health Organization, 2013. http://www.who.int/phi/documents/dwp1_global_health_rd_observatory_16May13.pdf (accessed July 29, 2013).
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