title: Ebola research funding: a systematic analysis, 1997-2015.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The latest outbreak of Ebola in West Africa overwhelmed the affected countries, with the impact on health extending far beyond Ebola-related deaths that have exceeded 11 000. The need to promptly mobilise resources to control emerging infections is widely recognized. Yet, data on research funding for emerging infections remains inadequately documented.
  
  
  METHODS
  We defined research investment as all funding flows for Ebola and/or Marburg virus from 1997 to April 2015 whose primary purpose was to advance knowledge and new technologies to prevent or cure disease. We sourced data directly from funding organizations and estimated the investment in 2015 US dollars (US$).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Funding for Ebola and Marburg virus research in 1997 to 2015 amounted to US$ 1.035 billion, including US$ 435.4 million (42.0%) awarded in 2014 and 2015. Public sources of funding invested US$ 758.8 million (73.1%), philanthropic sources US$ 65.1 million (6.3%), and joint public/private/philanthropic ventures accounted for US$ 213.8 million (20.6%). Prior to the Ebola outbreak in 2014, pre-clinical research dominated research with US$ 443.6 million (73.9%) investment. After the outbreak, however, investment for new product development increased 942.7-fold and that for clinical trials rose 23.5-fold. Investment in new tools to control Ebola and Marburg virus amounted to US$ 399.1 million, with 61.3% awarded for vaccine research, 29.2% for novel therapeutics research such as antivirals and convalescent blood products, and 9.5% for diagnostics research. Research funding and bibliometric output were moderately associated (Spearman'sρ= 0.5232,P= 0.0259), however number of Ebola cases in previous outbreaks and research funding (ρ = 0.1706,P= 0.4985) and Ebola cases in previous outbreaks and research output (ρ = 0.3020,P= 0.0616) were poorly correlated.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Significant public and philanthropic funds have been invested in Ebola and Marburg virus research in 2014 and 2015, following the outbreak in West Africa. Long term, strategic vision and leadership are needed to invest in infections with pandemic potential early, including innovative financing measures and open access investment data to promote the development of new therapies and technologies.
authors.affiliation: Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, USA.
authors.forename: Joseph Ra
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Fitchett
authors.affiliation: Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, USA.
authors.forename: Amos
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lichtman
authors.affiliation: Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, USA.
authors.forename: Damilola T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Soyode
authors.affiliation: Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, USA.
authors.forename: Ariel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Low
authors.affiliation: Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, USA.
authors.forename: Jimena
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Villar de Onis
authors.affiliation: Global Health Research Institute, University of Southampton, UK.
authors.forename: Michael G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Head
authors.affiliation: Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, USA.
authors.forename: Rifat
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Atun
mesh_terms: D000354:Africa, Western; D000818:Animals; D035843:Biomedical Research / Q000191:economics*; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D029043:Ebolavirus; D005378:Financial Support; D019142:Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D008379:Marburg Virus Disease / Q000821:virology; D029024:Marburgvirus; D012109:Research Support as Topic