A research strategy to develop new tools to prevent leprosy, improve patient care and reduce the consequences of leprosy. Five year leprosy research strategy approved by ILEP Board October 2011.

A Research Strategy to Develop New Tools to Prevent Leprosy, Improve Patient Care and Reduce the Consequences of Leprosy

The Importance:
The Global Leprosy Programme has had a dramatic impact on the prevalence of registered cases of leprosy over the last 20 years through the implementation of short course multi-drug therapy (MDT) treatment. However, further advances in the field of leprosy are hindered by the lack of new tools to address the challenge of apparent persistence in transmission and incidence, and the long-term consequences of the disease.

The Strategy:
This strategy was developed by the Technical Commission of ILEP to provide a framework to prioritise research, to identify the steps needed to develop and implement new tools, and to identify funding gaps. The strategy focuses on applied research, either technology transfer or research to evaluate effectiveness of interventions where there is already proof of principle. More basic research and proof of principle are important but are outside the scope of this five year strategy.