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Nature in its recent Outlook on Neglected diseases (Outlook: Neglected diseases 449, 157-182; 2007) focused new light on a subject which has itself been long neglected by the scientific community and in the scientific literature; that is, the Developing World’s struggle with endemic infections (such as malaria) and epidemics (such as HIV (AIDS)) and the role of the Developed World in this struggle. The benefits of the current “Push-Pull” approach as outlined in the Nature outlook piece (i.e., the provision of subsidies and guaranteed markets) to encourage the first world to break free of the traditional academic culture which rewards publications and wealth creation over contributions to the practical social good, thereby helping to bridge the “translational gap” between low- and high-income countries, are obvious and well presented. However, an additive, if not alternative, approach to combating “neglected diseases”, which has received considerably less attention, is the need to encourage researchers from the developing world to join the fray themselves. After all, tropical diseases are neither forgotten nor neglected by this cohort for whom the incentives are life-and-death as opposed to scientific recognition or wealth generation.

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2008-01-09   |   1,259 visitas   |   Evalua este artículo 0 valoraciones

Vol. 1 Núm.3. Diciembre 2007 Pags. 350-351 J Infect Developing Countries 2007; 1(3)