Big risks, rewards ‘should spur US global health R&D spend’

Neglected and emerging disease investments result in big economic returns for US economy, analysis finds

The United States government spends less on global health R&D than it should considering the returns such investments bring taxpayers, and the growing risk that emerging and neglected health threats pose, health advocacy agencies have said.

The two agencies analysed US global health R&D funding and found it “generated billions of dollars in economic benefits” by spurring on industry investments. Yet they say in their 14 March report that the funding is “modest” in the context of public investment in other spending areas, such as defence.