E-DRUG: DNDi releases WHO-endorsed statement calling on G8 leaders to increase
their commitment to neglected tropical diseases
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DNDi calls on G8 leaders to increase their commitment to neglected tropical
diseases
GENEVA - June 30, 2008 - Immediately following the Drugs for Neglected Diseases
initiative (DNDi) Stakeholders' Meeting on June 26, 2008, and in advance of the
upcoming 2008 G8 Summit in Japan, DNDi released a statement endorsed by World
Health Organization (WHO) urging the G8 governments to support both control
programs and research & development (R&D) initiatives for neglected tropical
diseases. New and better-adapted treatments and diagnostics are needed for
chronically endemic tropical diseases that have a significant impact on the
lives of the poor, yet are neglected by the global public health agenda.
The statement calls upon the world's wealthiest nations "to commit resources
for appropriate and sustainable financial mechanisms to strengthen existing
efforts and to support innovation required to meet the priority health needs of
developing countries."
For some of the neglected tropical diseases, large programs supported by
public-private partnerships, including drug donations, provide effective and
safe medicines which can be administered to at-risk populations with the aim of
eventually eliminating the disease. Despite the fact that many low-cost and
effective interventions are available to control some of these diseases, the
majority of affected populations still do not have access due to lack of
resources.
Furthermore, research is needed for new, practical and effective diagnostics
and medicines. As the microbial world is constantly evolving, even the best
control tools can lose their power if drug resistance develops or disease
patterns change. Long-term investment is essential to develop better medicines,
to prevent resistance, and to ensure sustainability.
Thus, DNDi urges the active participation of public institutions from developed
countries to assist their counterparts in the developing world. According to
Dr. Bernard Pécoul, DNDi's Executive Director, "In order for the needs of
neglected patients to be met, countries of the G8 must take measures to ensure
that investment in research goes hand-in-hand with control program support."
The full text of the statement is available below and at www.dndina.org/g8/.
About DNDi
DNDi is an independent, non-profit product development partnership working to
research and develop new and improved treatments for neglected diseases such as
malaria, leishmaniasis, sleeping sickness and Chagas Disease. With the
objective to address unmet patient needs for these diseases, DNDi has developed
the largest ever portfolio for the kinetoplastid diseases and has already
released two new antimalarial medicines. The DNDi founding members are 5
research institutions: Institut Pasteur, Kenya Medical Research Institute
(KEMRI), Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the Foundation Oswaldo Cruz
in Brazil, the Ministry of Health in Malaysia, and the humanitarian
organisation Médecins sans Frontières. The special Programme for Research and
Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR) from WHO/UNICEF/World Bank acts as a
permanenent observer to the initiative. For further information, please visit:
http://www.dndi.org.
Joint DNDi and WHO Statement
Neglected tropical diseases continue to affect more than 1 billion people all
over the world
Geneva - June 30, 2008 - Infectious and parasitic diseases - most of which are
preventable and/or treatable - remain the primary cause of death worldwide.
International attention is currently focused on HIV/AIDS, malaria, and
tuberculosis, as well as on global health security. However, many other
chronically endemic tropical diseases, which have a very significant negative
impact on the lives of poor populations, are still very much neglected by the
global public health agenda.
Most neglected tropical diseases1 primarily affect poor and marginalized people
who have few resources or possibilities to make a living. In developing
countries, these diseases affect individuals, families, and entire communities.
The high burden of disease and loss of productivity aggravate poverty and
contribute to high cost of long-term care. Socioeconomic development and
quality of life is affected at all levels. Improved control and prevention of
these diseases will help to alleviate poverty and to reach the Millennium
Development Goals.
For some of the neglected tropical diseases, large programmes supported by
effective partnerships, including drug donations, provide effective and safe
medicines which can be administered to at-risk populations in order to
eventually eliminate the disease. Despite the fact that many low-cost and
effective interventions are available to control some of these diseases, the
majority of affected populations still do not have access to them due to a lack
of resources.
Other diseases such as human African trypanosomiasis, Chagas disease,
leishmaniasis, and Buruli ulcer, present the greatest challenge for intensified
control because no adequate tools exist: effective and adapted options for
prevention, diagnosis, and treatment are needed.
Research is needed for new, practical and effective improved diagnostics and
medicines and for effective ways to implement them. As the microbial world is
constantly evolving, even the best control tools can lose their power if drug
resistance develops or disease patterns change. Long-term investment is
essential to develop better medicines, to prevent resistance, and to ensure
this is not a one-off achievement.
Demanding technical requirements of existing therapeutic tools limit their use
and require long hospital stays, with devastating consequences on livelihoods
(particularly in subsistence-farming areas). Until simpler and safer drugs are
developed, control efforts must remain extremely resource intensive and poorly
suited to strategies for reaching those most in need.
Despite ongoing efforts of existing product development partnerships, the
inadequacies of existing tools and of infrastructures to deliver them remain
major constraints.
Patients deserve affordable and safe diagnostics and treatment. To control
these diseases and to have an impact on health and poverty, investment in
long-term research must go hand in hand with program support. Doing so will
help fulfil the promise of ongoing positive trends, including the conviction -
underlying many research, control, and intervention partnerships - that
neglected tropical diseases can be eliminated when the world's best tools and
methodologies are made available to all at-risk populations.
In preparation for the 2008 G8 Summit in Japan, we ask you to support official
inclusion of the following statement:
"Recognizing the importance of neglected diseases as global health,
educational, and economic threats in developing countries, the G8 commits to
support both neglected diseases' control programs and research & development
initiatives to develop new and better adapted treatments and diagnostics.
Further to this, the G8 commits to recommend appropriate, sustainable financial
mechanisms to strengthen existing efforts and to support innovation required to
meet the priority health needs of developing countries."
Dr. Lorenzo Savioli
Director
Department of Control of Neglected Tropical Diseases
Dr. Bernard Pécoul
Executive Director
Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative
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