Although research and development funding for tuberculosis reached new heights last year, the total fell substantially short of goals set by the United Nations and most of the increase came from just two organizations, according to a new report.
Specifically, the amount spent on basic research, new treatments, vaccines, and diagnostics was $1.2 billion, the highest level since tracking of funding began in 2005 and 20% more than what was seen in 2022. Yet this amounted to only one quarter of the $5 billion annual goal that was adopted last year at a United Nations High-Level Meeting on TB as part of a plan to end the epidemic by 2030.
Meanwhile, the U.S. National Institutes of Health and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation contributed 53% of all R&D funds, and the 20 top funders were responsible for 86% of total spending. Looked at another way, the public sector provided 62% of the $1.2 billion in funding, followed by philanthropies that contributed 24%. Just 9% came from the private sector, such as pharmaceutical companies.
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