Management Sciences for Health Welcomes Bill to Support Developing Medical Innovations at USAID

Arlington, VA—November 16, 2023—Management Sciences for Health (MSH) welcomes the introduction of the bipartisan Supporting Innovative Global Health Technologies (SIGHT) Act of 2023 and applauds Representatives Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), and María Elvira Salazar (R-FL) for their strong leadership on this critical issue.  

The legislation includes important provisions to prioritize medical innovations at the US Agency for International Development (USAID). Those innovations will help boost US efforts to develop critical health solutions for low-resource settings and build sustainable paths for medical research and development in low- and middle-income countries. 

“The need for low-cost, effective global health innovations has only grown since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said MSH’s Director of Policy and Advocacy, Ben Weingrod. “We know that with respect to pandemics, no one is safe until everyone is safe. The authorities provided in the SIGHT Act will ensure that new medical approaches can quickly be brought to bear to confront existing and future global health challenges.” 

Examples of medical innovations of specific importance in low-resource settings include child-friendly tuberculosis and malaria treatments—both of which reduce or eliminate the need for health care providers or parents to crush hard-to-swallow pills, estimate correct dosages, and struggle to get children to take medications formulated for adults.