Sherrod Brown: “I rise today to offer the Brownback-Brown amendment, No. 985, which provides incentives for pharmaceutical companies to…”

“I rise today to offer the Brownback-Brown amendment, No. 985, which provides incentives for pharmaceutical companies to develop and manufacture treatments for neglected tropical diseases. According to the World Health Organization, more than 1 billion people--that is one of every six people worldwide--are affected by at least one neglected tropical disease. In addition, neglected tropical diseases claim roughly 500,000 lives every year. However, less than 1 percent of the roughly 1,400 drugs registered between 1975 and 1999 treated such diseases. This disparity is obviously due to the lack of financial incentives for pharmaceutical companies to bring neglected tropical disease treatments to market because these diseases disproportionately affect low-income countries, mainly in Africa. Creating incentives for companies to invest in treatments for these diseases is not only in our country's national interest, but it is consistent with the longstanding tradition of this country of caring for those less fortunate around the world. This amendment would award a priority review voucher to any company that brings a neglected tropical disease treatment to market.”