Today, the fourth annual G-FINDER survey tracking funding for research and development of neglected disease technologies was released. This year’s report shows that funding for product development is on the decline and product development partnerships (PDPs) have been particularly hard hit, as eight of the top twelve public donors cut their funding in 2010.
While the report shows that funding for TB R&D increased by $30M from 2009 – 2010, annual funding is still barely 25% of the figure suggested by the Stop TB Partnership as adequate to sustain the pace of R&D to bring critically-needed new TB products to the field without delay. Investments by public and philanthropic donors over the past 10 years have built a pipeline of products that will transform TB control. Turning away from these projects means that we will continue to wage the fight against TB with inadequate tools. Now is a time of tremendous opportunity, with dozens of potential products within the reach of patients–donors must commit to taking them across the finish line.
For those who use Twitter, here are some prepared tweets to highlight the urgent need to maintain funding for TB R&D. To use them:
- Sign into twitter
- Click any of the links below, which will automatically load
- Press “tweet”
Tweet #1
#PDP funding decreased for a 2nd straight year, putting 100+ global health projects in jeopardy. #RnD4NTDs #GFINDER http://bit.ly/rCw3QL
Click here to automatically load.
Tweet #2
A decade of work built a robust pipeline of new TB drugs. We must see them across the finish line. #RnD4NTDs #GFINDER http://bit.ly/rCw3QL
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Tweet #3
#TB doesn’t heed a global financial crisis. Global health funding cuts only embolden pandemics. #RnD4NTDs #GFINDER http://bit.ly/rCw3QL