The fight against NTDs has been the most successful public health initiative in history. The pharmaceutical industry has been invaluable to this success and is committed to ensuring that those suffering from Neglected Tropical Diseases are #NeglectedNoMore.
A Historic Public-Private Partnership
In 2012, 10 companies joined governments, civil society, private funders, multilateral agencies and academia to endorse the London Declaration on Neglected Tropical Diseases – a collective commitment to reach the World Health Organization’s (WHO) goals to control, eliminate and eradicate 10 neglected tropical diseases (NTDs).
The London Declaration is one of the great public health success stories of recent history. Since 2012, 39 countries have eliminated at least one NTD, and more than 600 million people are no longer at significant risk of contracting an NTD. From 2016 to 2019, more than one billion people received treatment for at least one NTD each year - hundreds of millions more than before the London Declaration.
Donations of NTD medications, which are distributed by WHO, have been a longtime pillar of the fight against NTDs – many pharmaceutical company donation programs have existed for decades. Since the London Declaration, companies have donated more than 14 billion treatments to NTD programs as part of their commitment to reduce global poverty and create a fairer, healthier world.
Key Facts and Figures
Since 2012, companies have donated more than 14 billion NTD treatments. As a result, more people than ever before receive at least one NTD drug: from 727 million in 2011 to 1.135 billion in 2019.
In 2019 alone, pharmaceutical companies donated 1.795 billion NTD treatments compared to 970 million in treatments in 2011.
That’s more than a 50% increase – or, for every three people receiving preventive treatment for an NTD, one of them wouldn’t have gotten it before the London Declaration.
Since 2016, over 1 billion individuals every year have received preventive chemotherapy (PC) interventions for at least one NTD.
Between 2010 and 2020, the number of people requiring treatment for at least one NTD fell from 2 billion to 1.7 billion, a drop of 300 million people.
Donations
Donations of NTD medications, which are distributed by WHO, have been a longtime pillar of the fight against NTDs – many pharmaceutical company donation programs have existed for decades. Since the London Declaration, companies have donated more than 14 billion treatments to NTD programs as part of their commitment to reduce global poverty and create a fairer, healthier world. In addition to drug donations, companies have invested in innovation, worked closely with partners to resolve supply chain issues, and provided support on delivery and access through partnerships with country governments and non-governmental organizations.
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Lymphatic Filariasis (LF)
A parasitic disease that impairs the body’s lymphatic system and can lead to physical impairments and lifelong disability.
Progress: 17 countries have eliminated LF since 2012. Over 8.6 billion cumulative treatments have been delivered since 2000. However, 863 million people in 47 countries worldwide remain threatened by lymphatic filariasis.
Eisai donates DEC, GSK donates Albendazole, and Merck donates Mectizan to treat LF.
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Soil-transmitted helminth (STH)
Infections are parasitic diseases that impair the physical development of children and reduce the body’s ability to absorb nutrients and vitamins, leading to a loss of iron and protein.
Progress: As of 2020, 16 countries had reached the World Health Assembly’s goal of treating at least 75% of school-age children for soil-transmitted helminths. Approximately 1.5 billion people worldwide are infected with STHs.
GSK donates Albendazole and J&J donates Mebendazole to treat STHs.
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Schistosomiasis
A water-borne, parasitic disease spread by freshwater snails that affects the urinary or intestinal system, and causes abdominal and pelvic pain, diarrhea, blood in the stool, urine or sperm, and pain during intercourse.
Progress: Over the past decade, treatment campaigns have scaled up in many sub-Saharan countries, where most of those at risk for schistosomiasis live. Approximately 242.2 million people still required treatment for schistosomiasis in 2020.
Merck KGaA donates PZQ for school age children to treat schistosomiasis.
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Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT or Sleeping Sickness)
A parasitic disease that affects the central nervous system, which is almost always fatal if untreated.
Progress: Cases of HAT dropped below 10,000 in 2009 for the first time in 50 years. In 2020, while only 663 new people were infected with HAT, HAT is endemic in sub-Saharan Africa where 53 million people remain at risk.
Sanofi donates Multi-Drug Therapy (MDT) to treat HAT.
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Leprosy
A communicable disease that carries a heavy stigma and affects the skin, peripheral nerves, and the upper respiratory tract.
Progress: Over 16 million leprosy patients have been treated with MDT over the past 20 years, resulting in a general reduction in new cases. The number of new cases was almost cut in half from 2011 to 2020 alone, with 127,558 new leprosy cases worldwide in 2020.
Novartis donates Multi-Drug Therapy (MDT) to all leprosy patients worldwide.
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Visceral leishmaniasis (VL)
A parasitic disease spread by sandflies that causes bouts of fever, weight loss and malnutrition, enlargement of the spleen and liver and anemia.
Progress: An estimated 50,000-90,000 new cases of VL still occur annually (with only 25-45% reported to WHO).
Gilead donates AmBisome and Sanofi donates MDT regimens to treat VL.
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Trachoma
A bacterial eye disease that is the world’s leading infectious cause of blindness.
Progress: The number of people at risk for trachoma has dropped by 91% globally, from 1.5 billion in 2002 to only 136.2 million in 2021.
Pfizer donates Azithromycin to treat Trachoma.
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Chagas
A parasitic disease that can result in heart problems and the destruction of the muscle and nervous system when untreated.
Progress: Thirty years ago, an estimated 175 million people were infected with Chagas. Today, around 6-7 million people are infected with the disease worldwide, and around 75 million people remain at risk.
Bayer donates Nifurtimox to treat Chagas.
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Onchocerciasis
A parasitic disease spread by blackflies that causes intense inflammation in the eyes and skin and can lead to visual impairment and permanent blindness.
Progress: 1.8 million people worldwide live in areas that no longer require mass drug administration for onchocerciasis. However, over 240 million people still live in areas known to be endemic for onchocerciasis.
Merck donates Mectizan.