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Preserve Global South's research capacity

Reidpath D, Allotey P, 166 signatories

Science, 2020 May 15;368(6492):725.
PMID: 32409468 DOI: 10.1126/science.abc2677
Matched MeSH terms: Biomedical Research/economics*
Advancing Neuroscience Research in Africa: Invertebrate Species to the Rescue

Balogun WG, Cobham AE, Amin A, Seeni A

Neuroscience, 2018 03 15;374:323-325.
PMID: 29427653 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2018.01.062

Neuroscience research and training in many African countries are difficult due to funding and infrastructure deficit. This has resulted in few neuroscientists within Africa. However, invertebrates such as Drosophila and Caenorhabditis elegans could provide the perfect answer to these difficulties. These organisms are cheap, easy to handle and offer a comparable advantage over vertebrates in neuroscience research modeling because they have a simple nervous system and exhibit well-defined behaviors. Studies using invertebrates have helped to understand neurosciences and the complexes associated with it. If Africa wants to catch up with the rest of the world in neuroscience research, it needs to employ this innovative cost-effective approach in its research. To improve invertebrate neuroscience within the Africa continent, the authors advocated the establishment of invertebrate research centers either at regional or national level across Africa. Finally, there is also a need to provide public funding to consolidate the gains that have been made by not-for-profit international organizations over the years.

Matched MeSH terms: Biomedical Research/economics
Challenges in mapping research investments for treatments against pneumonia

Head MG, Fitchett JR, Clarke SC

Lancet Infect Dis, 2015 Nov;15(11):1262.
PMID: 26531036 DOI: 10.1016/S1473-3099(15)00351-5
Matched MeSH terms: Biomedical Research/economics*
Fulltext Mapping pneumonia research: A systematic analysis of UK investments and published outputs 1997-2013

Head MG, Fitchett JR, Newell ML, Scott JA, Harris JN, Clarke SC, et al.

EBioMedicine, 2015 Sep;2(9):1193-9.
PMID: 26501117 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2015.06.024

BACKGROUND: The burden of pneumonia continues to be substantial, particularly among the poorest in global society. We describe here the trends for UK pneumonia R&D investment and published outputs, and correlate with 2013 global mortality.
METHODS: Data related to awards to UK institutions for pneumonia research from 1997 to 2013 were systematically sourced and categorised by disease area and type of science. Investment was compared to mortality figures in 2010 and 2013 for pneumonia, tuberculosis and influenza. Investment was also compared to publication data.
RESULTS: Of all infectious disease research between 2011 and 2013 (£917.0 million), £28.8 million (3.1%) was for pneumonia. This was an absolute and proportionate increase from previous time periods. Translational pneumonia research (33.3%) received increased funding compared with 1997-2010 where funding was almost entirely preclinical (87.5%, here 30.9%), but high-burden areas such as paediatrics, elderly care and antimicrobial resistance received little investment. Annual investment remains volatile; publication temporal trends show a consistent increase. When comparing investment to global burden with a novel 'investment by mortality observed' metric, tuberculosis (£48.36) and influenza (£484.21) receive relatively more funding than pneumonia (£43.08), despite investment for pneumonia greatly increasing in 2013 compared to 2010 (£7.39). Limitations include a lack of private sector data and the need for careful interpretation of the comparisons with burden, plus categorisation is subjective.
CONCLUSIONS: There has been a welcome increase for pneumonia funding awarded to UK institutions in 2011-2013 compared with 1997-2010, along with increases for more translational research. Published outputs relating to pneumonia rose steadily from 1997 to 2013. Investment relative to mortality for pneumonia has increased, but it remains low compared to other respiratory infections and clear inequities remain. Analyses that measure investments in pneumonia can provide an insight into funding trends and research gaps.
RESEARCH IN CONTEXT: Pneumonia continues to be a high-burden illness around the globe. This paper shows that although research funding is increasing in the UK (between 1997 and 2013), it remains poorly funded compared to other important respiratory infectious diseases such as tuberculosis and influenza. Publications about pneumonia have been steadily increasing over time, indicating continuing academic and clinical interest in the topic. Though global mortality of pneumonia is declining, it should still be an area of high priority for funders, policymakers and researchers.

Matched MeSH terms: Biomedical Research/economics
Fulltext Investment in pneumonia and pneumococcal research

Head MG, Fitchett JR, Newell ML, Scott JAG, Clarke SC, Atun R

Lancet Infect Dis, 2014 Nov;14(11):1037-1038.
PMID: 25444398 DOI: 10.1016/S1473-3099(14)70949-1
Matched MeSH terms: Biomedical Research/economics*
Fulltext Anticipating rotavirus vaccines--a pre-vaccine assessment of incidence and economic burden of rotavirus hospitalizations among children < 5 year of age in Libya, 2012-13

Alkoshi S, Leshem E, Parashar UD, Dahlui M

BMC Public Health, 2015;15:26.
PMID: 25616973 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-015-1400-7

Libya introduced rotavirus vaccine in October 2013. We examined pre-vaccine incidence of rotavirus hospitalizations and associated economic burden among children < 5 years in Libya to provide baseline data for future vaccine impact evaluations.

Matched MeSH terms: Biomedical Research/economics