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Why Can’t Pregnant Women Be Vaccinated During Epidemics?

February 8, 2019

“The cost of doing this research versus the cost of essentially denying women access to something that could be highly beneficial, there’s really no comparison.”, says our Carleigh Krubiner, coauthor of a recent report on maternal immunization

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Mothers of Babies Afflicted by Zika Fight Poverty, Despair

October 17, 2018

Nearly three years after a Zika outbreak in Brazil caused thousands of cases of microcephaly and other devastating birth defects in newborns, Reuters returned to check on the mothers and their children

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Trump Administration Proposes Weakening Rules Governing Organ Transplant Centers

September 24, 2018

The revised rules, proposed this week as part of the agency’s efforts to reduce “burdensome” federal regulations, would no longer penalize hospitals if too many of their patients die following transplants. St. Luke’s in Houston recently lost its Medicare funding for heart transplants for that very reason

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Colorado Approves $41m Settlement

September 14, 2018

Settlement ensures care of 2,200 state prisoners with hepatitis C. Inmates will no longer be required to undergo drug or alcohol treatment as a precondition for care

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Crowdfunding for Unproven Stem Cell Procedures Wastes Money and Spreads Misinformation

August 6, 2018

Using online platforms such as GoFundMe to solicit donations for health-related needs can help people access legitimate health services and avoid medical debt. But this kind of medical crowdfunding also raises funds for a multitude of scientifically unsupported procedures

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Should Gene Editing Be Compulsory?

July 18, 2018

Julian Savulescu presents hypothetical cases to explore whether safe and effective gene therapy ought to be compulsory

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Low Quality Healthcare Is Increasing the Burden of Illness and Health Costs Globally

July 5, 2018

Poor quality health services are holding back progress on improving health in countries at all income levels, according to a new joint report by the OECD, World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Bank

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Where Does Public Funding for Cancer Research Go?

February 27, 2018

Allocation of research funding for cancer and COPD is not always proportional to disease burden. “We wouldn’t want the situation to be based solely on having the loudest person’s priorities being funded; we have to take care that the needs of the less vocal as well as the least well off are taken care of”, Jeremy Sugarman said. “Governments should find ways to establish fair processes of making fair and right decisions”

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Where Does Public Funding for Cancer Research Go?

Tuesday, February 27th, 2018

Inequitable funding

Overall, the data indicate that public research money is not distributed proportionally based on disease prevalence and burden. “The allocation of research funding is highly inequitable”, commented Lawrence Gostin, Professor of Global Health Law at Georgetown University in Washington, DC, USA. In particular, breast cancer and leukemia receive a higher amount of research money relative to disease burden. “These diseases have highly passionate and vociferous advocates”, Gostin explained. “Leukemia is fueled by the face of children, highly compelling symbols that are sympathetic to audiences and the political community. Breast cancer has perhaps the most powerful and sympathetic advocates, often young mothers. It is also associated with women’s rights, so there is synergy between the rights and needs of women and breast cancer”. The pink ribbon, for instance, the symbol of breast cancer activism, was promoted by Self magazine and Estee Lauder cosmetics in 1992, one year after the Visual AIDS Artists’ Caucus created the red ribbon symbol for AIDS. “Breast cancer took a leaf out of the AIDS movement, with pink rather than red ribbons”, Gostin said. “In the US, even hulking NFL players wear pink”.

There are similar social reasons why COPD, lung cancer, and pancreatic cancer do not receive the same level of funding relative to mortality and burden. “The reason is there are no social movements around these diseases. As there are no identifiable and passionate advocates for these specific diseases, they are underfunded”, Gostin commented. Indeed, patient advocacy does have an impact on allocating research funding. “Patient activism and engagement is part of the policy making process”, said Jeremy Sugarman, Professor of Bioethics and Medicine, and Professor of Health Policy and Management at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD, USA. This is not necessarily an issue of overfunding or underfunding, Sugarman explained, but the fact that lobbying helps to attract funding for certain diseases and conditions. “If you hear stories that are well told, they attract funding”, he said. “As a society, we tend to pay attention to situations of urgency made clear through compelling narratives”.

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EMBO Reports

Why Can’t Pregnant Women Be Vaccinated During Epidemics?

Why Can’t Pregnant Women Be Vaccinated During Epidemics?

Mothers of Babies Afflicted by Zika Fight Poverty, Despair

Mothers of Babies Afflicted by Zika Fight Poverty, Despair

Trump Administration Proposes Weakening Rules Governing Organ Transplant Centers

Trump Administration Proposes Weakening Rules Governing Organ Transplant Centers

Colorado Approves $41m Settlement

Colorado Approves $41m Settlement

Crowdfunding for Unproven Stem Cell Procedures Wastes Money and Spreads Misinformation

Crowdfunding for Unproven Stem Cell Procedures Wastes Money and Spreads Misinformation

Should Gene Editing Be Compulsory?

Should Gene Editing Be Compulsory?

Low Quality Healthcare Is Increasing the Burden of Illness and Health Costs Globally

Low Quality Healthcare Is Increasing the Burden of Illness and Health Costs Globally

Where Does Public Funding for Cancer Research Go?

Where Does Public Funding for Cancer Research Go?

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