The medicine Nobel Prize of 2015 marks a milestone in research on infectious diseases of poverty. The award was shared by researchers through innovative treatments for infections caused by nematodes and malaria. The event is important because good studies have been done to achieve these discoveries, but also because the prizes were awarded for diseases affecting the poorest and most vulnerable in society.
The Nobel Committee said: "These findings have given mankind new and powerful ways to combat these debilitating diseases affecting every year hundreds of millions of people. In terms of improving health and reducing suffering, the consequences are immeasurable. "
Despite this progress, huge gaps remain. While celebrating the Nobel Prize, the time has also come to reflect on lessons and emphasize what is still needed to address the research and development with a more equitable approach.
Tu Youyou, Chinese scientist, is credited with the rediscovery of artemisinin combination therapies leading to artemisinin to treat malaria that have saved millions of lives. Satoshi Ōmura, Japan, and William Campbell of the United States of America, discovered avermectin, which led to develop an effective treatment against onchocerciasis and lymphatic filariasis, disease originally d immense suffering and severe physical harm.
In both examples, these discoveries in the 1970s have no direct impact on public health. This required a commitment that the United Nations and the establishment of organizations dedicated to strengthening the neglected disease research capabilities, such as the Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases.
Moreover, international organizations, research and pharmaceutical companies have formed partnerships. Non-profit partnerships for product development, such as the Medicines for Malaria Ventures and drugs for neglected diseases initiative, then emerged to focus more specifically to the development of drugs and diagnostics specifically the low-income countries.
For Tu Youyou, links spread to China, Africa, Europe and the United States of America. International pharmaceutical companies have provided crucial support to develop the new treatment according to international standards and to conduct clinical drug trials in multiple countries. Scientists from low and middle income countries in Africa have been trained and the essential building research capacity began.
Once established that the treatments were safe and effective, it was necessary to do research on the packaging to ensure that people who can not read can understand dosages. New policies on the part of the World Health Organization (WHO) as national ministries of health, were necessary. Research has established new community-based approaches to ensure the availability of treatment for those in need, wherever they needed it.
Today, artemisinin derivatives are the mainstay of malaria treatment. Since 2000, over one billion of artemisinin-based treatments were administered to more than 600 million people, 1 contributing to the impressive 54% decrease in the number of cases in the WHO African Region.
The treatment of onchocerciasis and lymphatic filariasis also benefited from collaborations between the public and private sectors for research. The discovery of avermectin resulted in the development of a related drug, ivermectin. Clinical trials have been conducted in Africa by Africans. However, the key to its widespread use has resided in studies on the social, gender and the economy, showing how communities could lead the distribution of ivermectin.
In 2013, over 100 million people in sub-Saharan Africa were receiving annual treatments of ivermectin against onchocerciasis, 2 putting an end to the days when a lot of people on this continent became blind or had serious deformations due to onchocerciasis. A new program to eliminate the disease has now been created.
Unfortunately, gaps remain despite these successes. We need new products to fight drug resistance and new distribution strategies. positive, nearly 500 new products in the sectors of research on neglected diseases, treatments, diagnostics and vaccines. 3 Three-quarters of them were about developed through public-private partnerships for product development.
The challenge now is to make sure to maintain but also to strengthen the scientific and political momentum, while the coordinating and the financing. 4 On a recent G7 summit, science ministers have pledged to intensify research on infectious diseases of poverty. 5 New devices, such as the Global Observatory WHO research and development in health and the draft global health research and development funds will be needed to define and finance public health priorities.
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