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In a new review on the social and economic impact of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), �����'s Center for Science in Public Policy--in conjunction with the Global Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases, an initiative of the Sabin Vaccine Institute--examined the seven most common NTDs, not only as health issues, but also as a global macroeconomic concern.

NTDs are a group of parasitic and bacterial diseases that infect more than 1 billion people around the world, most of whom live below the poverty line.  These diseases cause malnutrition and anemia, pregnancy complications, blindness, disfigurement and delays to physical and cognitive growth among children, often perpetuating the poverty of those they infect.

Despite their wide-spread impact, NTDs have often been categorized as "other diseases" on the global health and development agenda and often exist in the shadow of better-known diseases such as HIV/AIDs, tuberculosis and malaria.

Our expert panel discussed the social and economic impacts of NTDs and recommendations for linking NTD elimination programs to the broader global development agenda.