Neglected Tropical Diseases and Corporate Social Responsibility

Hello Everyone,

Child leading two individuals blinded
by the parasite that causes river blindness

During the discussion with Eric regarding neglected tropical diseases, the question was asked why have the pharmaceutical manufacturers, e.g., Merck, Pfizer, GSK, DuPont Chemicals, etc., decided to donate medications and filter cloth (DuPont) to treat dracunculiasis, lymphatic filarisis, onchocerciasis, and schistosomiasis.  Was this decision simple altruism, smart marketing, good for shareholders, or a combination thereof?

Treponema spirochete (bacterium) that causes Yaws

These review articles in Nature and American Scientist suggest that serendipity, not uncommon in scientific discovery, played a major role in moving ivermectin off the veterinarian's shelf and into the treatment regimens to fight river blindness (onchocerciasis) and, later, lymphatic filariasis. 

Management guru Peter Drucker, as early as the 1950s, believed that corporations, in addition to making a profit, also had responsibilities to society, i.e., "corporate social responsibility."  So the idea is not new, but in public health it is only during the past 20 years that CSR has been so vividly illustrated in the free provision of medicines by several pharma companies to treat the above NTDs.

Guinea-worm is slowly rolled on match stick

And this has been good public relations for these companies - a humantarian story about helping the poor in Africa who are afflicted by these terribly debilitating diseases - it is appealing to an often cynical public. But is also good for business, as CSR is becoming more integrated into the business model, as described here and in the business magazine Forbes.

DuPont-designed and donated millions of yards
of cloth to filter Cyclops copepod (water flea) that
hosts the Guinea-worm parasite

Should CSR matter to those of us working in public health?  Yes.  Without the donation of medicines and materials,  these NTD afflicted populations would not otherwise have access to effective treatments.  There is no compelling economic business model for pharma to invest resources in these NTD afflicted regions, expect for CSR.

Aedes aegypti mosquito that transmits the Dengue virus

However, it is also necessary to have watch dog groups like Greenpeace, Public Citizen, and PR Watch, "look the gift horse in the mouth" just to be sure no Trojan soldiers are within, even in the case of CSR. 

Finally, here are the links to the documentary film clips we viewed after Eric's lecture.

Dracunculiasis clip 1 (7 min) and clip 2 (new) (guinea-worm disease) (3 min)

Schistosomiasis (snail fever) 4 min 

Yaws 4 min
Dengue fever 2 min  

Human African Trypanosomiasis 6 min

Qs for thought:  What is the profile of groups/organizations that are committed to combating NTDs?  Of the above NTDs, for which one is transmission of the infectious agent likely to be interrupted in our lifetime?  Is this a realistic possibility for the other above NTDs?  What are the implementation science questions one should consider in controlling and preventing NTDs?

Take care,

Jim