Ebola research funding: a systematic analysis, 1997-2015

Area of Science:

• Infectious Diseases
• Global Health Security
• Medical Research Funding

Background:

• The West Africa Ebola outbreak highlighted the devastating impact of emerging infectious diseases, exceeding 11,000 deaths and straining health systems.
• The need for rapid resource mobilization to control emerging infections is recognized, yet data on research funding remains insufficient.
• Ebola and Marburg virus research funding patterns prior to and following the 2014 outbreak require detailed analysis to inform future preparedness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify research investment in Ebola and Marburg virus from 1997 to April 2015.
• To analyze funding sources and allocation for research and development of new medical countermeasures.
• To assess the correlation between research funding, output, and disease outbreaks.

Main Methods:

• Defined research investment as funding for Ebola and/or Marburg virus aimed at advancing knowledge and technologies.
• Collected data directly from funding organizations for the period 1997-2015.
• Estimated investment in 2015 US dollars (US$) and analyzed funding sources and research areas.

Main Results:

• Total research investment for Ebola and Marburg virus reached US$1.035 billion between 1997 and 2015, with US$435.4 million awarded in 2014-2015.
• Public sources dominated funding (73.1%), followed by joint ventures (20.6%) and philanthropic sources (6.3%).
• Post-2014 outbreak, investment in new product development and clinical trials increased dramatically; vaccine research received the largest share (61.3%) of new tool funding.

Conclusions:

• Significant public and philanthropic investment flowed into Ebola and Marburg virus research following the 2014 outbreak.
• Long-term strategic vision and leadership are essential for early investment in pandemic-potential infections.
• Innovative financing and open-access data are needed to accelerate the development of novel therapies and technologies for emerging infectious diseases.