Recent news
June 2011
Congressman Sires introduces bill to support global health R&D
June 9, 2011 -- Congressmen Albio Sires (D-NJ) recently introduced the 21st Century Global Health Technology Act, a bipartisan bill that would provide the US Agency for International Development (USAID) with authority to strengthen its decades-long support for the development of technologies for global health. The co-sponsors of the bill include Representatives Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL), Adam Smith (D-WA), Gwen Moore (D-WI), Michael Honda (D-CA), Yvette Clark (D-NY), Bobby Rush (D-IL), Norm Dicks (D-WA), and Donald Payne (D-NJ).
USAID’s partnerships in low-income countries with governments as well as implementing organizations make the agency uniquely positioned to create culturally relevant and appropriate health tools. For decades, USAID’s advancement of health technologies has ensured that needed medical products and diagnostics developed for use in the world’s poorest areas have reached the people who need them most. The bill would codify some of USAID’s technology-related activities. It also would encourage public-private partnerships as a way to leverage US Government resources with private-sector investments to create the next generation of lifesaving drugs, vaccines, and devices.
“Each year, millions of people in the developing world die of infectious diseases, malnutrition, and complications of pregnancy and childbirth. The 21st Century Global Health Technology Act supports a long-term program to develop much needed health technologies such as safe injection devices, rapid diagnostics for diseases, technologies for safe delivery, and other innovative health solutions,” said Congressman Sires. See the links below for more information.
