The Scientist: Ted Key

Poverty Related to Health Issues

The American Journal for Preventive Medicine found that

people in extreme poverty:

• Have more chronic illnesses.• Have more frequent & severe disease

complications.• Make greater demands on the health care

system.

Approximately 1.2 billion people in the world live in extreme poverty

(Less than $1 per day).

Poverty creates ill-health because it forces people to live in environments that make them sick because of a lack of:

• decent shelter,• clean water, • or adequate sanitation;• and they have a shorter life expectancy.

Caracas…city in poverty

…lack of clean water

• 1.1 billion people in developing countries have inadequate access to water.• 2/3 of people lacking clean water access survive on less

than $2 per day.• 1/3 of people lacking clean water access survive on less

than $1 per day.• Close to ½ of people suffering form health problems in

developing countries is caused by water & sanitation deficits.

• 400 million children have no access to safe water.• 1.4 million die each year from lack of an access to safe

drinking water and adequate sanitation.

….the only water for miles

…Malaria• Caused by parasite transmitted through

mosquito bites

• There are 350-500 million reported cases per year.

• Of these, 100 million die.• 90% of reported cases come from Africa.• 80% of reported cases are children.

The World Health Organization (WHO)• Works with countries to establish pro-poor health

policies.• Makes recommendations on best practices on

poverty around the world.• Ensures that the health perspective is reflected

in poverty reduction strategies.• Provides a database that analyzes each

country’s poverty level, challenges in fighting poverty, proposed health strategies, and the mechanisms to monitor progress.

Notables

Dr. Michael Geib

Dr. Andrew Hamilton

Dr. Wesley Van Voorhis

Mr. David Floyd

Some of the earliest researchers in the U.S. recognized for their work in developing a vaccine for malaria.

Dr. Michael GeibChemist, University of Washington

• Cancer researcher who studied parasites causing malaria and sleeping sickness.

• Isolated the protein that develops malaria in humans.

• Worked with other researchers, like Dr. Andrew Hamilton of Yale University, to develop experimental malaria vaccine.

Dr. Wes Van VoorhisProfessor of Medicine, University of Washington

• David Floyd, Vice-President of Bristol- Myers, was providing proteins for similar research with parasites with Dr. Van Voorhis.

• Van Voorhis, joined with these 3 others, received a grant from the Gates Foundation to continue the research.

• These men won project of the year award in 2002. Their work continues.

*Gates Foundation*www.gatesfoundation.org

Bill and Melinda Gates team with partners around the world to fund projects to fight poverty and poor health in developing countries. One of theirprojects is to fund researchto fight malaria. The Gatesdeserve majorcredit for supportingmalaria research.

GlaxcoSmithKlineAndrew Whitty, CEO

• This company markets many vaccines, including RTS,S- a trial vaccine for malaria

• GSK’s work receives lots of money from the Gates Foundation.

• Company originally made vaccines for U.S. military.

• RTS,S is the 1st vaccine ever to be proven effective against a human disease caused by parasites.

• If trial use shows the drug is safe and effective, the vaccine to be ready for marketing in 2015.

• Established in 1999 by a grant from the Gates Foundation.

• his non-profit organization heads up the program that works closely with GlascoSmithKline in testing the RTS,S vaccine.

• Their mission is to accelerate the development of malaria vaccines and ensure their availability and accessibility in the developing world.

• Their vision is to have a world free from malaria.• www.malariavaccine.org

For more information, see the following website:

www.mmv.org

Medicine for Malaria Venture