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Analysis looks at cost effectiveness of simultaneously confronting several diseases

The great paradox of global health efforts is that regions of the world most plagued by poverty, poor infrastructure and rampant disease are often the most difficult to support. Now, scientists have demonstrated that confronting several diseases at once can make the most of thinly-stretched donor dollars and national health care budgets, to help to save lives.

4 Feb 2012

Al Jazeera speaks with experts about new NTD initiative

Following the announcement on Monday that 13 pharmaceutical companies, several large non-profit organizations, governments, and U.N. agencies are joining forces to fight neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), Al Jazeera's "Inside Story" interviewed several experts in the field, asking, "Why have these diseases been neglected for so long? And how effective will the new plans be to counter these diseases and, in turn, alleviate poverty? Is the target date of 2020 set by the initiative realistic to wipe out some of the world's deadliest conditions? And what is in it for them?" according to the show's summary.

4 Feb 2012

Researchers identify fexinidazole as potential new therapy for visceral leishmaniasis

Researchers at the University of Dundee have identified fexinidazole as a possible, much-needed, new treatment for the parasitic disease visceral leishmaniasis.

3 Feb 2012

Opinion pieces, blog react to new public-private NTD initiative

Pharmaceutical company heads and global health leaders gathered at a conference on Monday in London to announce the formation of a large public-private partnership to fight neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) and endorse the "London Declaration on Neglected Tropical Diseases", in which they pledged to work together and track progress.

1 Feb 2012

OMB examining final rule on coordination of Medicaid, CHIP and exchanges

Also in the news, Roll Call takes a look at what action to expect, and who on Capitol Hill will be in the hot seat, as the Supreme Court works its way through the health law's constitutionality.

31 Jan 2012

Abbott, DNDi partner to research on new treatments for NTDs

The Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) and Abbott have signed a four-year joint research and non-exclusive licensing agreement to undertake research on new treatments for several of the world's most neglected tropical diseases, including Chagas disease, helminth infections, leishmaniasis and sleeping sickness.

31 Jan 2012

People underestimate weight and overestimate height during research surveys

When people in the U.S. are asked to provide their weight for research surveys, they underestimate their weight and overestimate their height, despite numerous public reports about increasing rates of obesity. Whites are more likely to do so than Blacks or Hispanics, a new study finds.

30 Jan 2012

Global hunger estimates 'are not infallible'

"While the Food and Agriculture Organization's (FAO) estimated figures on global hunger often grab headlines, the uncertainty surrounding the numbers receives relatively little media attention," Guardian reporter Claire Provost writes in the newspaper's "Poverty Matters Blog."

30 Jan 2012

Access to, use of sanitation systems cuts odds of worm infection in half, study review shows

When sanitation systems are available and used, the odds of contracting one of a group of diseases, known as soil-transmitted helminths (STH), is cut in half, according to a systemic review and meta-analysis published this week in PLoS Medicine, Examiner.com reports (Herriman, 1/25).

30 Jan 2012

Addressing misperceptions about foreign aid spending amid primary season campaigning

In this post on the Council on Foreign Relation's "The Internationalist" blog, Stewart Patrick, a senior fellow and director of the Program on International Institutions and Global Governance, addresses what he calls myths about foreign aid amid this year's primary season, writing, "GOP presidential candidates regularly bash it, echoing 'Mr. Republican' Robert Taft -- who dismissed overseas assistance more than six decades ago as 'pouring money down a rat hole.'"

27 Jan 2012

Global economic downturn may thwart progress in fight against poverty, disease, Gates says

"The global economic downturn and the euro-zone crisis may stand in the way of efforts to reduce poverty and disease around the world," Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation said on Wednesday in a talk at the London School of Economics sponsored by the Global Poverty Project, Bloomberg reports.

27 Jan 2012

Yemen faces child malnutrition crisis after year of unrest

"A year of Yemen's turmoil has exacerbated the number of malnourished children under the age of five to around 750,000, UNICEF said Tuesday, appealing to the government and the international community to help develop the country's infrastructure to tackle the problem," the Associated Press reports (Al-Haj/Batrawy, 1/24).

25 Jan 2012

In State of the Union speech, health law gets short shrift

President Barack Obama's State of the Union address was light on health policy references, but he did say he would not "go back to the days when health insurance companies had unchecked power to cancel your policy, deny your coverage or charge women more than men." News outlets also reported on Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels Republican response and looked forward to what Obama is doing today to spin his speech.

25 Jan 2012

High Court's review of health law's Medicaid expansion 'very serious' issue

One of the top lawyers representing those challenging the health care law said Monday that even opponents were surprised that the Supreme Court ordered arguments on the measure's Medicaid expansion. And a second plaintiff attorney characterized it as a "very serious issue" that goes to the heart of the question of the overhaul's constitutionality.

25 Jan 2012

Comprehensive policy package based on research needed to stem abortion figures

"The astounding thing about the global abortion debate is not that some people have deeply held views about what a pregnancy is and when a human existence begins" but that "policymakers continue to ignore carefully amassed information about the actual outcome of programs and laws related to sexuality and reproduction," Marianne Møllmann, senior policy adviser with Amnesty International's International Secretariat, writes in this Guardian opinion piece.

25 Jan 2012

Study explores global rise of monogamous marriage as a dominant cultural institution

In cultures that permit men to take multiple wives, the intra-sexual competition that occurs causes greater levels of crime, violence, poverty and gender inequality than in societies that institutionalize and practice monogamous marriage.

23 Jan 2012

Keeping global health relevant as part of sustainable development agenda

"In 2012 there will be a major strategic shift in global health, away from development and towards sustainability," a Lancet editorial states.

21 Jan 2012

Experts debate pros, cons of Sierra Leone's ban on traditional birth attendants

The Guardian's "Poverty Matters" blog asks whether Sierra Leone was right to ban traditional birth attendants (TBAs) from assisting deliveries 18 months ago, writing, "Although [TBAs] are often poorly trained and sometimes use unsafe delivery procedures, for most women in rural Sierra Leone they are a lifeline."

19 Jan 2012

Viewpoints: The 'need' to repeal CLASS; Squaring Romney's poverty and tax promises

As a physician, I treated hundreds of patients who needed long-term care, including ones with Alzheimer's. More than 13.5 million seniors could have this disease by 2040. Middle-class families remain dangerously unprepared for these costs. Some people will likely spend more than $100,000 on care. The fictional CLASS daily benefit of $50 per day won't cover this. I urge my House and Senate colleagues to support this CLASS repeal.

19 Jan 2012

U.S. to provide nearly $1B over five years to Bangladesh for poverty, health, agriculture programs

A U.S. Embassy statement on Saturday said the U.S. would provide nearly $1 billion to Bangladesh over the next five years "towards alleviating poverty and malnutrition, as well as family planning and the fight against infectious diseases," Reuters reports.

18 Jan 2012

Poverty News and Research

Analysis looks at cost effectiveness of simultaneously confronting several diseases

Al Jazeera speaks with experts about new NTD initiative

Researchers identify fexinidazole as potential new therapy for visceral leishmaniasis

Opinion pieces, blog react to new public-private NTD initiative

OMB examining final rule on coordination of Medicaid, CHIP and exchanges

Abbott, DNDi partner to research on new treatments for NTDs

People underestimate weight and overestimate height during research surveys

Global hunger estimates 'are not infallible'

Access to, use of sanitation systems cuts odds of worm infection in half, study review shows

Addressing misperceptions about foreign aid spending amid primary season campaigning

Global economic downturn may thwart progress in fight against poverty, disease, Gates says

Yemen faces child malnutrition crisis after year of unrest

In State of the Union speech, health law gets short shrift

High Court's review of health law's Medicaid expansion 'very serious' issue

Comprehensive policy package based on research needed to stem abortion figures

Study explores global rise of monogamous marriage as a dominant cultural institution

Keeping global health relevant as part of sustainable development agenda

Experts debate pros, cons of Sierra Leone's ban on traditional birth attendants

Viewpoints: The 'need' to repeal CLASS; Squaring Romney's poverty and tax promises

U.S. to provide nearly $1B over five years to Bangladesh for poverty, health, agriculture programs

Industry Focus eBook - Cell biology (5th edition) eBook

Bringing real-time analytics to downstream bioprocess monitoring

Designing fluidic architecture for scalable diagnostic platforms

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

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