Comparative advantages of push and pull incentives for technology development: lessons for neglected disease technology development

Cheri Grace and Margaret Kyle, 2009

Between 1975 and 1999 only 1% of new medicines developed were for neglected diseases, but in the past decade this picture has been changing. Incentives for the development of neglected disease can be categorised as 'push' (e.g. product development partnerships) and 'pull' (e.g. increases in development assistance for health).

Stakeholders have been concerned about how pull and push relate – what evidence is there about how they might work together? Which is a more cost-effective way to incentivise research and development (R&D) on neglected disease technologies?

Published in: Global Forum Update on Research for Health Volume 6: Innovating for the Health of All (pp 147-151)