A recent article in The Lancet criticized the premise that a Grand Challenge to scientific and technological know-how is the best route to combating malaria, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and other diseases that kills millions of people each year.
Anne-Emanuelle Birn, an associate professor with the Department of Public Health Sciences at the University of Toronto, argued that many of the 14 Grand Challenges failed to incorporate economic, social and political context in seeking solutions and were shortsighted and even potentially harmful.
For instance, Birn said developing single-dose or needle-free vaccines might reduce the number of well-baby visits, which are essential for monitoring a child's growth. Or developing a genetic or chemical strategy to wipe out mosquitoes or other disease-carrying insects might make extending clean water and sanitation services to poor areas less urgent.
Birn urged Bill Gates to adopt a broader approach to global health problems than just searching for a scientific solution.
In his speech in Geneva, Gates was unapologetic about his foundation's focus on health breakthroughs.
He noted that some patients with AIDS used to take 20 pills daily, now they might take three.
"Today, we have tuberculosis drugs that you have to take for nine months. Why can't we find one that works in three days?