Education
Despite the rapid pace of medical advancements like gene therapy, treating many of the world’s most devastating diseases is a matter of economics and political will, not science. That’s according to Dr. Peter Hotez, the dean of Baylor University’s National School of Tropical Medicine. Hotez says this is particularly true for a group of parasitic and bacterial infections collectively known as Neglected Tropical Diseases, or NTD’s. These diseases, says Hotez, have more to do with economics than climate. “They're not even rare diseases. They're very common,” Hotez said. “ But they're hidden. They're hidden among the poor.” The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that more than one billion people — approximately one-sixth of the world's population — suffer from at least one NTD. These diseases, which range from Dengue Fever to Leprosy, don’t always lead to death. But their effects can last a lifetime. “They tend to be chronic and debilitating infections,” Hotez said. “So