[e-drug] EU Commission on more R&D for major and neglected diseases

e-drug
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E-DRUG: EU Commission on more R&D for major and neglected diseases
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First the question asked by the MEP Mr Bowis (Christ Demo) to the EU
Commission on the need for more financial attention for HIV/AIDS, malaria
and Tb but also for neglected diseases and for the need of new mechanisms
to ensure R&D. The following text is the oral answer given by the
Commission which says: "... it will take the issues of controlling poverty
related and neglected diseases as well as the development of new mechanisms
for needs-driven research very seriously." Seco

586717.EN
PE 363.725

ORAL QUESTION H-0942/05
for Question Time at the part-session in November 2005
by John Bowis to the Commission

Recent years have seen a greatly increased awareness of the lack of
Research and Development (R&D) on the health needs of the populations of
developing countries. Hardly any R&D is undertaken for diseases such as
sleeping sickness, Chagas disease, kala-azar and others. Parliament is
examining the Commission's proposal for the Seventh Research Framework
Programme (FP7), COM(2005)0119 final.

Does the Commission agree that, given the paucity of R&D dedicated to
health issues affecting the populations of developing countries, increased
attention and investment are urgently needed, and will it facilitate
discussions between DG Development and DG Research so that the FP7 budget
for R&D on HIV/AIDS, Malaria and TB (poverty diseases) is increased, a
specific budgetary head is included in the FP7 for neglected diseases that
affect only developing countries and new mechanisms are introduced to
define needs-driven R&D and to ensure long-term and sustainable funding?

Reply to oral question
H-0942/05
by Mr J. Bowis
November I 2005

The Research Framework programmes (FP) 4 to 6 have allowed important
investments in research on 'neglected communicable diseases' in the past
decade through their international scientific cooperation activities. Under
the current international cooperation programme of FP6, there are specific
calls on knowledge and technologies to improve control of neglected
communicable diseases, focusing on (1) vector-borne diseases (e.g. Chagas
disease and sleeping sickness, Dengue, haemorrhagic fevers,
schistosomiasis, filiariasis and leishmaniasis), (2) neglected specific
parasitic, bacterial and viral infections, and (3) major childhood
infections. Research on malaria, HIV/AIDS Human immunodeficiency
virus (HIV)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and tuberculosis
receives substantial support through the thematic priority on poverty
related diseases in the priority on life sciences.

In the area of neglected communicable diseases there are currently 27
active projects with clusters in the area of Leishmaniasis (6 projects),
Trypanosomiasis (5), Schistosomiasis (5 projects), and river blindness (3).
More projects are expected from this year's call, where 68 submitted
proposals on neglected diseases are just now being evaluated by independent
international experts. In addition, there are a range of health systems
research projects, addressing crucial preconditions for the effective
control of neglected communicable diseases such as accessibility,
affordability and quality of health care.

The projects the Commission is funding or will fund this year represent a
substantial contribution towards broader international efforts in this area
and we would like to stress the fact that we are not only supporting high
quality research but also high-quality long-term research partnerships with
developing countries, the majority belonging to the ACP regions. This
collaboration through programmes such as European and Developing Countries
trials Partnership contributes substantially to enhance the research
capacities to design and implement new control strategies.

The Commission is aware and most thankful to the Parliament for its support
to further strengthen our collaborative research for the control of these
neglected diseases. The specific research programme proposals, presented by
the Commission on 21 September 2005, emphasize the needs for further
research in support of health, control and surveillance of poverty related
and neglected communicable diseases.

Coming to the last point of the question about funding, it has to be
considered that there is not yet an agreement on the EU's financial
perspectives. Therefore, the Commission is not in a position to comment on
financial commitments at this stage. However, within the limits of the
final budgetary allocation for EU research, it will take the issues of
controlling poverty related and neglected diseases as well as the
development of new mechanisms for needs-driven research very seriously. It
also appreciates very much the support of the Parliament regarding the
Commission's proposal to double the EU research funds.

Seco GERARD
MSF Access to Medicines Campaign's EU Liaison Officer
C/O MSF
Rue Dupré 94
1090 Brussels
32 2 474 75 09 (dir off)
32 479 514 900 (mobile)
"Seco GERARD" <seco.gerard@msf.org>

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E-DRUG: WHO challenges India over neglected diseases
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Dear All,
One wonders if these remarks are based on any studies or just media gimmicks.
From;
Dr GOPAL DABADE,
President,
Drug Action Foum - Karnataka,
57, Tejaswinagar,
Dharwad 580 002, INDIA
Cell +91(0)9448862270,
Tel +91 (836)2461722
drdabade@gmail.com

http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/nov172005/state1716120051116.asp

Thursday, November 17, 2005
Deccan Herald » State » Detailed Story

WHO damns India for neglect of tropical diseases

DH News service Bangalore

With India still lagging behind in World Health Organisation’s programmes for eradication of five ‘neglected’ tropical diseases, the WHO has called for intensified efforts, stating that ‘there is no need for drug research, but for operational research’.

The five diseases targeted by WHO are Leprosy, Lymphatic Filariasis (Elephantiasis), Visceral Lesihmaniasis (Kala Azar), Soil Transmitted Helminths (STH) and Yaws. According to WHO reports, India contributes the highest burden of leprosy and elephantiasis, and accounts for large proportion of Kala Azar and STH. It is also one of the three countries in South-East Asian region reporting cases of Yaws.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, before the high-level meeting of WHO with policy makers and donors in Bangalore on November 17 and 18, Dr Lorenzo Savioli of Department of Control of Neglected Tropical Diseases, WHO, called for ‘community commitment’ to tackle the cases. ‘The strategy and tools are all in place, only intervention and proper networking is required,’ he said.

‘The existence of these diseases in these regions is equivalent to a human right violation, because we are knowingly depriving billions of people of cheap medicines and a cure’, Dr Savioli added.

Regret

In a note of regret, David Molyneux, Professor of Tropical Health Sciences at Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, pointed out that ‘the tropical diseases are the cheapest to be treated, as against AIDS and tuberculosis’. Giving statistics, Molyneux said that while AIDS will cost $ 1,000, and TB $700, the cost estimated for packaged intervention for tropical diseases is less than $ 0.4.

‘These diseases are poverty-related and primarily affect the poor and vulnerable groups like women, children and the most marginalised of populations. Though there are cost-effective interventions to
tackle these diseases, they have been neglected because of insufficient resources, inadequate policy support and ineffective implementation of programmes,’ explained Molyneux.

Meanwhile, Dr Jai P Narain, Director of Department of Communicable Diseases, WHO South East Asia, said the main reason for failure of the eradication programmes is inadequate coverage.

‘While some States are committed to the programmes, others are not, and due to population migration, the affected people spread it to other areas,’ Dr Narain said.