In this Forbes opinion piece, journalist Sarika Bansal examines five ways in which pharmaceutical companies can address neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), including creating cross-sectorial research partnerships for neglected diseases; joining patent pools for neglected diseases; donating drugs for neglected diseases; creating facilities dedicated to neglected disease research; and allowing scientists to work on neglected disease, both formally and informally.

She interviews a number of top officials from pharmaceutical companies, research groups, and intellectual property organizations regarding their work with respect to NTDs and writes, “Throughout my interviews, I was struck by how deeply engaged the pharmaceutical executives were with neglected diseases.” Bansal concludes, “There is still a long way to go, but between innovative partnerships, open access, and deeper investments, the pharmaceutical industry can help make significant strides forward in neglected disease research” (11/22).