Erin Braid

This report examines the Priority Review Vouchers (PRV) that the US government has issued under its Tropical Disease PRV Program, which provides financial incentives for research and development targeting neglected tropical diseases.

In 2019, there were about 1.2 million deaths due to road injuries—about 90% of which occurred in low- and middle-income countries. In this report, researchers reviewed case studies of key time periods in China and Vietnam to better understand the relative impact of (philanthropically-funded) policy changes versus other factors.

Research Analyst Bruce Tsai and Research Assistant Erin Braid estimate how many deaths have been averted by five medicines: four antimalarials and one HIV treatment. Their report then reconstructs each drug’s development story, including the roles of funding from companies, academics, government, and philanthropy.

Universal introduction of vaccines in low- and middle-income countries has lagged behind introductions in high-income countries. While Gavi—a global public-private partnership—has helped to alleviate cost-related delays, additional bottlenecks remain. This report suggests interventions to further improve efficiency and experiences throughout the vaccine delivery process.