Recent news
September 2011
GHTC Director speaks with Nature Medicine about how budget cuts could hurt global health funding
September 13, 2011 -- In its September issue, Nature Medicine published an article about the implications the Budget Control Act holds for global health funding. GHTC Director Kaitlin Christenson spoke with the magazine about how the budget cuts in the legislation could hurt global health research and innovation.
While specific appropriations for key global health agencies have not been revealed yet, Christenson addressed why we cannot afford to lose funding for global health at a time when the field is gaining critical momentum. “We’re on the cusp of research innovation in global health,” Christenson said. She added, “Unless the funding continues, we won’t be able to continue the momentum.”
Since Congress passed the debt reduction legislation, Christenson has been vocal about how the budget cuts could hurt global health research and key agencies.
In an interview with BIO Ventures for Global Health, she stressed the need to preserve global health funding and build on the recent successes in global health research. “Today, we're on the cusp of developing the most advanced malaria candidate ever. We're seeing new advancements in tuberculosis regimens, in prevention and treatment for neglected tropical diseases -- among other technologies, so we really need to educate members of Congress about the value of this work and why it's important to protect it; why it's important in terms of an American value, in terms of security and economic impact here at home and the ability to save lives worldwide.”
- Read the full story in Nature Medicine
- Read about Christenson’s interview with BIO Ventures for Global Health on federal budget cuts and global health research
- Read the GHTC web feature on where global health stands after recent budget cuts
