2010)3 . Presented in six chapters, this report is a distillation of the evidence, ideas and priorities that emerged from the stewardship initiative and provides an ambitious set of options for action. The report is essential reading for policymakers, funders and research leaders. Implementation of the actions proposed in this report should help improve current research prioritization processes, guide investment strategies and enhance commitment to using research to promote global health equity. If, like the MDGs, these options for action are focused on by policy-makers, funders and researchers, they should lead to well-planned, effective, and powerful health interventions. The task now is to develop and focus attention on key actions that are most likely to have a significant public health impact on poor populations. Dr Ayoade MJ Oduola Project coordinator Former coordinator, Stewardship and accessed 20 February 2012. 4 the development of this report Introduction Global Report for Research on Infectious Diseases of Poverty 4 the development of this report 5 Acknowledgements The Global Report was initiated and facilitated by TDR, the Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases, based on wide contributions from stakeholders at various stages of the work. Under the leadership of the TDR Stewardship function, high level experts from around the globe were brought together for research, analysis and consultations. The result is an independent publication comprising different viewpoints written by expert authors in each chapter. Much valuable advice and support was received from the TDR Think Tank members, chairs and co-chairs, who prepared the 10 disease and thematic reference group reports that provided the technical foundation for this report. Two major report development workshops were organized in Bellagio (July 2010) and Shanghai (January 2011). Consultations on the report findings were held with national and regional experts and policy-makers at World Health Organization regional and country offices. The report was also peer reviewed by external consultants and reviewed by TDR’s Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee (STAC) and TDR co-sponsoring bodies: UNICEF, UNDP, the World Bank and WHO. Report editors were Dr Margaret Harris and Dr Julie N Reza, with further editing and proofreading provided by Jo Woodhead and Tony Murdoch. Graphic design and guidance on illustrations in the report was provided by Lisa Schwarb. The Stewardship team which facilitated this work include: Dr Ayoade Oduola, (Stewardship Coordinator), Dr Shenglan Tang, Ms Edith Certain, Dr Deborah Kioy, Dr A Lee Willingham, Dr Michael Wilson, Dr Johannes Sommerfeld, Ms Lynn Hollies and Ms Elisabetta Dessi. Thanks are also extended to other TDR staff and consultants who assisted at various stages of the report: Dr Mahnaz Vahedi, Dr Sara Melville, Dr Catherine Davies, Dr Colin Butler and Professor David Molyneux. The Global Report was funded by TDR and the European Commission. Additional financial and structural support was provided by the Rockefeller Foundation, which hosted the first drafting meeting at its Bellagio Center, and the People’s Republic of China, which co-hosted a stakeholder consultation and the fourth production meeting. Hughes Hall, University of Cambridge, UK, also hosted a production workshop. Intorduction Global Report for Research on Infectious Diseases of Poverty 6 Abbreviations ACT artemisinin-based combination therapy Aeras Aeras Global TB Vaccine Foundation ANDI African Network for Drugs and Diagnostics Innovation APOC African Programme for Onchocerciasis Control BIREME Biblioteca Regional de Medicina, Brazil BRAC Bangladeshi Rural Advancement Committee BSE bovine spongiform encephalopathy CARTA Consortium for Advanced Research Training in Africa CDT community-directed treatment CDTI community-directed treatment with ivermectin COHRED Council on Health Research for Development CONICET National Council for Scientific and Technical Research, Argentina DALY disability-adjusted life-year DDT dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane DFID Department for International Development