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News
WHO hits pause on expanding its neglected tropical diseases list
The WHO's advisory body has called a temporary halt on adding new diseases to its neglected tropical diseases (NTD) list while it reviews the decade-old criteria used to make those decisions. The current list covers 21 diseases affecting the world's most vulnerable populations. The review is expected to wrap up by May 2027, after which updated criteria will guide future applications.
The WHO's Strategic and Technical Advisory Group for Neglected Tropical Diseases (STAG-NTD) has recommended a temporary freeze on new additions to the WHO's neglected tropical diseases (NTD) list. The decision came out of the group's 20th meeting in August 2026, following in-depth discussion about whether the existing framework — last formally established in 2016 — is still fit for purpose in today's global health landscape.
The NTD list, which currently covers 21 diseases and disease groups, is a powerful tool for mobilizing political attention, research funding, and public health resources for conditions that disproportionately affect vulnerable and underserved communities. The advisory group flagged critical gaps: there's no mechanism to remove diseases from the list, and no formal policy defining WHO's responsibilities — or resource commitments — once a disease is added.
Key Takeaways:
Why it matters: The NTD list shapes global health priorities and funding flows for diseases that often go overlooked. Getting the criteria right — including clearer rules for both adding and potentially removing diseases — could make the framework more transparent, sustainable, and impactful for the world's most neglected populations.
