Neglected Tropical Diseases

Abstract Chapter 5 examines the case of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs)—an umbrella term for diseases like onchocerciasis and trachoma. The issue area of NTDs has experienced a proliferation of partnerships involving numerous actors. Most of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies are part of one or more partnerships to address NTDs, and their engagement is widely praised in this issue area. How could it be possible? The NTD case substantiates the “overlapping preferences” scenario of this book’s theory. When there was no effective intervention to control onchocerciasis, a pharmaceutical company found an effective medicine, Mectizan, to tackle the disease. Since then, civil society has preferred the greater provision of effective medicines as a priority intervention in this issue area. The pharmaceutical company decided to donate the medicine based on long-term economic calculations, including the concern for public image and the morale among employees. Civil society’s policy preference and the business sector’s economic calculations thus overlap on the point to pursue a greater distribution of medicines at an affordable price. This overlap has first enabled and facilitated the growth of drug-donation PPPs, such as the Mectizan Donation Program. Success of these partnerships then led to a more recent growth of product-development PPPs, such as the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi). Overall, the experience of NTDs illustrates that a harmonious constellation of policy preferences can lead to a proliferation of PPPs in that issue area.