January 30, 2020—The 2019 G-FINDER report indicates that global investment in tuberculosis (TB) research and development (R&D) levels remain far short of the estimated $2.16 billion the Stop TB partnership estimates is needed annually to deliver new tools that can effectively treat, diagnose and prevent the disease. According to the G-FINDER Report, funding for TB basic research and product development reached $685 million in 2018 – while representing an increase from previous years, the figure represents less than a third of funding level set out by the Stop TB Partnership’s Global Plan to End TB.
“The landscape for tuberculosis research and development is precarious,” said Mel Spigelman, President and CEO, TB Alliance. “New investments are urgently needed to build on the progress we’ve seen to date.”
Continuing a discouraging trend, this past year saw a second straight decline in TB R&D investment by the private sector, with levels dropping to the second lowest rate recording since G-FINDER began tracking funding.
The annual G-FINDER report is an indispensable resource for understanding the funding landscape for TB research and product development. It also helps to hold governments to account and ensure they uphold existing commitments to fund TB research. At the 2018 United Nations High-Level Meeting on Tuberculosis, member states issued a political declaration committing to close the TB R&D funding gap, with the aim of increasing overall global investments to $2 billion annually.
The full report is available at: https://www.policycuresresearch.org/analysis
