Lilly's MDR-TB strategy lauded by IFPMA

The International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations has issued a call for greater cooperation and integration of efforts to counter "neglected" tropical diseases, to coincide with the first World Health Organization Global Partners Meeting on Neglected Tropical Diseases in April.

Harvey Bale, the IFPMA's director general, said: "worldwide, one in six people suffers from one or more of these tropical diseases. This is a global issue and we need to work out global solutions. There is a growing body of NTD experience to be shared, much of which has been generated in partnerships involving the pharmaceutical industry, to improve access to existing treatments, to research new ones and to develop them into useable medicines."

Dr Bale added that he welcomed "the WHO's efforts to improve the existing approaches involving intergovernmental organizations, national governments, non-governmental organizations and the drug industry."