Research on problems faced by poorest nations continues to be under-resourced

Although the amount spent globally on health research and development has risen significantly in recent years, the health problems of people in the poorest nations continue to be overlooked by researchers, an expert report says.

The global health research budget now exceeds $160bn (£100bn; €110bn) a year, up from $30bn in 1986, said Stephen Matlin, executive director of the Global Forum for Health Research. But investment in key areas that lead to better health for poorer populations has risen only “slightly over the past few years,” he said.

Gill Samuels, who chairs the forum’s foundation council, told ministers and health experts attending the body’s annual meeting in Cuba last week that, despite advances in …