Neglected diseases
Neglected Diseases, more precisely known as Neglected Tropical Diseases, are a group of contagious diseases widely spread amongst the poorest populations of the world that include numerous developing areas of Africa, Asia and America (NationMaster, 2005). According to the WHO, neglected diseases can be accurately defined as those diseases that impact only the poorest people residing in the rural areas of the third world countries. It also states that the massive extent of damage incurred by the neglected diseases is speaking out loud for itself through the extreme physical and mental disabilities of approximately a billion people around the globe (Hunt, 2007, p. 3).
Although three large-scale diseases (AIDS, TB, & Malaria) have been the focus of both the media and pharmaceutical companies for quite some time, numerous endemic diseases such as sleeping sickness, schistosomiasis, river blindness, hookworm, and elephantiasis have been throughout overlooked; hence, the term neglected. The ignorance of health officials along with the lack of research and development regarding these diseases has been responsible for their massive spread throughout the world as well as around 500,000 deaths every year due to these diseases (ScienceDaily, 2005).
Previously, pharmaceutical companies avoided producing drugs for diseases affecting third world countries, as people there do not have enough money to buy the drugs. But the swarm of criticism with which they were hit in the 1990’s forced them to cooperate with new research and development (Gillis, 2006). Today, as the effected areas mostly include the remote and unpopular regions of the world, the newly emerging dangerous diseases are not able to acquire enough momentum so as to generate a profound effect on the international health organizations. Moreover, inadequate information regarding the diseases along with their difficult names, have also dampened the attempts to bring them in the limelight (Savioli, 2006). Hence, pharmaceutical companies are not in favor of risking capital in a project that holds incomplete information regarding the main subject. Furthermore, pharmaceutical companies also argue that they do not receive sufficient funding and donations for the research and development due to the lack of news development regarding these diseases (Boseley, 2008).
Numerous steps can be taken in order to encourage or enforce the pharmaceutical industry into developing treatment for neglected diseases. For instance, the launch of the Priority Review Voucher for any pharmaceutical company that develops a drug for one of the 16 assigned neglected diseases would definitely prove as a strong motivator for pharmaceutical companies, as it allows them an “expedited review of a different drug that would not normally qualify for such consideration” (Traynor, 2008). The launch of other rewards apart from this would further intensify the race for developing drugs between the pharmaceutical companies, hence, paving the way to a highly effective treatment program. In addition, health officers in both public and private sectors should join forces and provide new incentives in order to utilize any knowledge or resources held by health and pharmaceutical experts that can enhance drug development. Furthermore, the media should provide a greater coverage of the affected regions in order to accurately expose the health conditions of the area. This action would provide a better understanding of the neglected diseases to the pharmaceutical industry, as well as attract donations and funds from around the world.
It is high time that all developed countries form a collaboration and provide an extensive helping hand to the affected nations so as to reduce the incidence of neglected tropical diseases and pave the way for a better development of the community.
Works Cited
Boseley, Sarah. (2008, May 14). Let’s hear it for Neglected Tropical Diseases. Retrieved October 6, 2008, from Guardian News & Media Limited. Website: http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/blog/2008/may/14/neglecteddiseases
Gillis, Justin. (2006, April 25). Cure For Neglected Diseases: Funding. The Washington Post, p. D01. Retrieved October 6, 2008, from washingtonpost.com. Website: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/24/AR2006042401570.html
Hunt, Paul. (2007). Neglected Diseases: A Human Rights Analysis. World Health Organization. Retrieved October 6, 2008, from Google Book Search. Website: http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&id=4guXIiq2I3cC&dq=neglected+diseases&printsec=frontcover&source=web&ots=hlbybmUmaB&sig=LM1oTgrr3TfYTOtnKbSVp0RcSg0&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=7&ct=result#PPA3,M1
Neglected Diseases. (2005). Retrieved October 6, 2008, from NationMaster. Website: http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Neglected-Diseases
Public Library of Science. (2005, October 11). Controlling Neglected Tropical Diseases Could Help Make Poverty History. Retrieved October 6, 2008, from ScienceDaily. Website: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/10/051011071929.htm
Savioli, Lorenzo. (2006). A Letter From The Director. Neglected Tropical Diseases, Hidden Successes, Emerging Opportunities. Retrieved October 6, 2008, from WHO. Website: http://whqlibdoc.who.int/hq/2006/WHO_CDS_NTD_2006.2_eng.pdf
Traynor, Kate. (2008, January 9). FDA Programs could Boost Treatments for Neglected Diseases. American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy, 65, 1595-1596. Retrieved October 6, 2008, from Academic Search Premier database. Website: http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdf?vid=9&hid=17&sid=6c4faf85-b0dc-40b8-b574-51fa895fbcc6%40sessionmgr8