title: Which new approaches to tackling neglected tropical diseases show promise?
abstract: This PLoS Medicine Debate examines the different approaches that can be taken to tackle neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). Some commentators, like Jerry Spiegel and colleagues from the University of British Columbia, feel there has been too much focus on the biomedical mechanisms and drug development for NTDs, at the expense of attention to the social determinants of disease. Burton Singer argues that this represents another example of the inappropriate "overmedicalization" of contemporary tropical disease control. Peter Hotez and colleagues, in contrast, argue that the best return on investment will continue to be mass drug administration for NTDs.
authors.affiliation: School of Population and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C., Canada. jerry.spiegel@ubc.ca
authors.forename: Jerry M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Spiegel
authors.forename: Shafik
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dharamsi
authors.forename: Kishor M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Wasan
authors.forename: Annalee
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yassi
authors.forename: Burton
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Singer
authors.forename: Peter J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Hotez
authors.forename: Christy
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hanson
authors.forename: Donald A P
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Bundy
mesh_terms: D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000635:transmission; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D011322:Primary Prevention; D014330:Tropical Medicine