Global Health Programs is sponsored by USAID. USAID's Global Health Programs fund initiatives focused on improving health outcomes in developing countries, encompassing areas such as maternal and child health, infectious diseases, and nutrition. A food technology startup with a nutrition health app impacting health outcomes in Africa would be relevant.

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The SIGHT Fund: A proposal to drive inclusive innovation at USAID Science holds promise to ending the world’s deadliest diseases. But to deliver on that promise, we need forward-looking ways of developing new health technologies—and we need the world’s leading bilateral funder of global health, the US Agency for International Development (USAID), to lead the charge.

The Supporting Innovative Global Health Technologies Fund—or SIGHT Fund —is a proposal for a new flexible, catalytic fund to be housed at USAID that would infuse new funding into R&D efforts to close the biggest gaps in our global health toolkit and save more lives more quickly. Recently, a bill known as the SIGHT Act, which would lay the foundation for the creation of the fund, was introduced in the US Congress.

Despite tremendous gains in global health, today we are still without essential tools to combat many long-standing health challenges, and new threats are continuing to emerge. For decades USAID has invested in the research and development (R&D) of new vaccines, drugs, diagnostics, and other tools as part of its broader mission to advance global health.

With its deep international footprint, USAID is uniquely positioned to advance fit-for-purpose tools that will reach places where infrastructure is limited, electricity is unreliable, and trained health workers are scarce. Unfortunately, in recent years, USAID investments in R&D have shrunk as a proportion of its overall global health spending, squeezed by both stagnant budgets and growing needs.

The SIGHT Fund is a solution that could supercharge USAID's innovation capacity. The SIGHT Fund, proposed to be housed within USAID’s Global Health Bureau (GHB) and funded through a $250 million initial dedicated appropriation, would support investments toward R&D of new drugs, vaccines, diagnostics, and medical devices to address a range of global health challenges.

It would be disease agnostic, focusing on priority areas of unmet need and promising scientific opportunity, and supplement—not supplant—existing pathways for USAID investments in innovation.

In alignment with the agency’s goal of supporting inclusive development, it would be engineered to drive inclusive innovation, centering the perspectives and priorities of people in affected communities—the end users of innovations—in every stage of product development.

The SIGHT Act is legislation that has been introduced in the US Congress that would put in place the structure and authorities for USAID to operationalize a SIGHT Fund once Congress provides funding for it.

The bill would create a distinct program and budget line for health R&D at USAID, establish a new leadership role and advisory council to guide investments, grant the agency authority to provide research awards, and mandate annual reporting on health R&D investments and results. Securing passage of this legislation would be an important step forward in turning the SIGHT Fund from vision to reality.

Read a short fact sheet about the fund Read a more detailed policy brief about the fund Read a fact sheet about the sight act Take action: Show your support Why the SIGHT Fund and SIGHT Act are needed USAID funding for health-related R&D has declined as a proportion of overall global health spending—despite continued innovation needs. USAID devotes only a small proportion of its global health funding to R&D activities.

In 2006, this proportion peaked at 8 percent but has steadily declined to around 5 percent, as total funding for global health has grown but funding for R&D has slightly declined. This is despite the fact that wide innovation gaps persist. The SIGHT Fund would reverse this decline and bring health R&D funding better in line with need.

A $250 million dedicated investment per year in the SIGHT Fund would bring USAID health R&D funding slightly above the level it was at in 2006, when it peaked as a proportion of GHB funding. Constrained budgets force GHB leaders to prioritize immediate impact over innovation and long-term progress.

With limited resources, GHB program leads are forced to decide between funding health programs using today’s imperfect tools or developing new and improved tools that could dramatically accelerate the impact of programs in the future—lowering costs and multiplying impact. As a result, leaders often choose to prioritize immediate, short-term results over forward-looking bets on R&D.

The SIGHT Fund would enable staff to make bolder investments in innovation, by reducing risk and perceived trade-offs. By empowering GHB program leads to invest in innovation through additive resources, the SIGHT Fund would remove the burden of risk inherent in R&D, enabling them to make smart investments in game-changing innovations.

Innovation at USAID is siloed by health area, limiting opportunities for multipurpose products and responsive research. Funding for health R&D is primarily drawn from disease- and population-specific appropriations accounts, limiting the ability of USAID to fund products that address multiple health issues or to pivot as health emergencies arise.

The SIGHT Fund would provide flexibility to respond to evolving needs and address multipurpose innovations, while improving coordination. The SIGHT Fund would be “disease agnostic,” enabling it to fund promising innovations that may cross health issue areas or to respond to R&D needs for emerging threats. As a centralized, additive source of innovation funding, the SIGHT Fund would also improve research coordination across the agency.

How the SIGHT Fund could sustainably grow R&D investments Over the years, USAID’s investments in health-related R&D have declined as a proportion of total GHB spending. A $250 million annual commitment to the SIGHT Fund would raise total annual USAID investments in global health innovation to a healthy target of approximately 10 percent of overall bureau funding. Health-related R&D funding as a proportion of GHB appropriations.

Senator Booker introduces SIGHT Act in Senate The Supporting Innovative Global Health Technologies (SIGHT) Act, a bill spearheaded and endorsed by GHTC that would create a disease-agnostic fund for research and development at the US Agency for International Development, was introduced in the Senate by Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) today after being introduced in the House of Representatives last fall.

WASHINGTON, DC – Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) introduced the Supporting Innovative Global Health Technologies (SIGHT) Act of 2024. The bill would empower the US Agency for International Development (USAID) to boost its research and development (R&D) capabilities for health care technologies in low- and middle-income countries abroad. This bill, S.

5278, is a companion bill to H. R. 6424, which was introduced in the House of Representatives last November by Representatives Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), María Elvira Salazar (FL-27), and Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06)."

We applaud Senator Booker for his leadership in advancing next-generation health innovations that are critical for tackling both known and emerging global health challenges by expanding the global health R&D ecosystem within the US government," said Dr. Kristie Mikus, Executive Director of the Global Health Technologies Coalition (GHTC), which represents 49 nonprofit organizations, academic institutions, and aligned businesses dedicated to advancing life-saving innovations globally.

"With its extensive presence in low- and middle-income countries and its strong track record of fostering public-private partnerships, USAID is uniquely positioned to drive groundbreaking health innovation.

It is encouraging to see congressional leaders in both the House and Senate recognize USAID's potential to embrace new disease-agnostic program areas that will complement the ongoing USAID R&D partnerships that have already been instrumental in saving millions of lives around the world."

US Agency for International Development Fitzpatrick, colleagues introduce bipartisan SIGHT Act Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar (FL-27), and Congresswoman Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06) introduced the Supporting Innovative Global Health Technologies (SIGHT) Act of 2023, which would establish a disease-agnostic research and development program at the US Agency for International Development, in the House of Representatives.

Today, the Supporting Innovative Global Health Technologies (SIGHT) Act, a bill spearheaded and endorsed by GHTC, was introduced in the US House of Representatives. Below is a press release from the bill's sponsors, which quotes the executive director of GHTC.

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar (FL-27), and Congresswoman Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06) introduced the Supporting Innovative Global Health Technologies (SIGHT) Act of 2023.

The bipartisan bill to empower the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to boost its research and development capabilities for health care technologies in low and middle income countries abroad." The United States must remain a leader in health technology innovation at home and abroad," said Congressman Fitzpatrick.

"Our bipartisan bill aims to address global health issues and provide further research and development in order to help save millions of lives on the world stage. ”“We need stronger American investments to tackle the global health challenges of the 21st century,” said Congresswoman Salazar.

“The SIGHT Act establishes a program dedicated to research at USAID, allowing us to better focus our energy on transformative tools that can save lives and drive down costs. I’m proud to co-lead this bipartisan bill to improve healthcare outcomes for the most vulnerable.

”"COVID-19 laid bare that we must ensure populations at home and abroad have the resources to innovate rapidly, and that global health directly impacts economic stability and prosperity. As health emergencies continue to affect communities worldwide, it's important that we invest in organizations with a track record of successfully advancing global health. One great example is USAID," said Congresswoman Houlahan.

"I am proud to introduce this bipartisan piece of legislation to support USAID, enabling them to advance cross-cutting research and development and respond quickly to emerging public health threats." “We applaud Reps.

Fitzpatrick, Houlahan, and Salazar for recognizing both the need and the opportunity to elevate USAID’s role in global health R&D,” said Jamie Bay Nishi, executive director of the Global Health Technologies Coalition (GHTC), which represents 45 nonprofit organizations, academic institutions and aligned business committed to advancing innovations that save lives worldwide.

“R&D partnerships led by USAID have been instrumental in saving millions of lives around the world—while also stimulating investments that create jobs here in the United States.

It’s good to see Congressional leaders committed to intensifying the agency’s impact by encouraging USAID to go beyond a disease-specific approach and embrace a disease-agnostic approach—to pursue R&D partnerships that address the biggest priorities in global health, whatever and wherever they may be. ”The SIGHT Act is also endorsed by:1. 3rd Stone Design2.

Advancing Synergy3. American Academy of Pediatrics4. American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene5.

AVAC6. BEMPU Health7. BIO Ventures for Global Health8.

Bugworks9. Catalysts for Change10. Center for Global Health Innovation11.

CEPI U.S.12. Coalition for Health Research and Development13. CORE Group14.

Deutsche Stiftung Weltbevoelkerung15. FIND16. FREO2 Foundation17.

Global Health Council18. Global Health Strategies19. Global Health Technologies Coalition20.

Global Impact21. Hemex Health22. IAVI23.

Innovative Vector Control Consortium24. International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases25. International Vaccine Institute26.

Makerere University School of Public Health27. Management Sciences for Health28. Mbarara University of Science and Technology29.

Medical IMPACT30. Medicines for Malaria Venture31. MRIGlobal32.

Pandemic Action Network33. Panorama34. PATH35.

Pathfinder International36. Policy Cures Research37. Population Council38.

Population Services International39. Rice University Institute for Global Health Technologies Coalition40. Sabin Vaccine Institute41.

Sightsavers42. Sinapi Biomedical43. Society for Children Orphaned by AIDS Inc.44.

South Africa Health Technologies Advocacy Coalition45. Speak Up Africa46. The BroadReach Group47.

The Task Force for Global Health48. Treatment Action Group49. Unlock Aid Coalition50.

White Ribbon AllianceRead the text of the bill here. Saporta Report features GHTC and proposed SIGHT Fund The Saporta Report featured a blog written by the GHTC team on our organization and our proposed Supporting Innovative Global Health Technologies (SIGHT) Fund, which would create a designated, separate funding line for global health R&D at the US Agency for International Development.

Written by Jamie Bay Nishi / GHTC Read time: 2 minutes / External link GHTC Submits Letter to OMB encouraging support for global health R&D in FY24 GHTC submitted a letter to the White House Office of Management and Budget OMB highlighting the critical role of US programs that support global health research and development (R&D) and encouraging continued support for this important work in the fiscal year 2024 (FY24) budget request, including the creation of a new Supporting Innovative Global Health Technologies Fund at the US Agency for International Development.

Read time: 37 Minutes / PDF link Devex features op-ed in support of SIGHT Fund Devex featured an op-ed from Management Sciences for Health President and CEO Marian Wentworth making the case for why a new dedicated R&D fund proposed by GHTC—called the Supporting Innovative Global Health Technologies (SIGHT) Fund—is needed at the US Agency for International Development to supercharge health research and bolster the agency’s ability to deliver accessible innovations to stock the global health toolbox of tomorrow.

Read time: 4 minutes / External link Frequently asked questions about the SIGHT Fund and Act Why should this fund be housed at USAID and not at another research agency like the National Institutes of Health? USAID is best positioned to house the SIGHT Fund because of 1) its unique mandate—as the only US agency with a primary mission to improve global health and development; and 2) its proven expertise in global health innovation.

The agency has a decades-long track record of developing technologies to address unmet health needs of people in the world’s poorest places. While other research agencies primarily focus on increasing scientific knowledge or advancing products for a US market, USAID is focused specifically on developing health technologies for global use.

That means its specialty is creating products that are not only safe and effective, but also affordable and designed to work in places where infrastructure is limited, electricity is unreliable, and trained health workers are scarce. Consider for a moment a new medicine or vaccine.

If that product ends up costing hundreds or thousands of dollars or must be stored consistently at frozen or refrigerated temperatures, many low- and middle-income countries may struggle to make it broadly available and administer it to people in hard-to-reach, rural settings.

When funding R&D, USAID considers these challenges from the beginning, so that the innovations it produces can ultimately be widely adopted and used around the world.

With its deep international footprint and strong relationships with health decision-makers in partner countries, USAID also has a keen understanding of what technologies are most needed to improve health programs—as a primary implementer of global health programs, the agency is able to see where current tools are falling short in real time. This enables it to prioritize investments in areas of highest need and potential impact.

How would the fund complement the work of other science and R&D agencies? USAID would have the opportunity to leverage the SIGHT Fund to build upon and strengthen its ongoing collaborations and coordination with other US agencies sponsoring health research.

USAID already has a strong tradition of partnering with other agencies like the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Department of Defense on health research. Sometimes this occurs through formal interagency initiatives, like the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), or through specific joint projects.

In other cases, USAID informally consults and shares information with other agencies, involving their staff in decisions on research strategy and investments. This continual coordination helps ensure USAID’s R&D investments are additive and complementary, rather than duplicative of other agency investments.

Given that USAID focuses on late-stage clinical development—translating scientific discoveries into proven products—greater interagency coordination enabled by the SIGHT Fund would help ensure promising products move successfully through the research pipeline, from early-stage research supported by NIH to later-stage research and market introduction supported by USAID. What types of specific technologies could the fund support?

The SIGHT Fund would be a flexible, disease-agnostic fund designed to support R&D of drugs, vaccines, diagnostics, and other medical devices across a range of global health areas. That could include HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis (TB), malaria, neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), maternal and child health, emerging infectious diseases, antimicrobial drug resistance, and more.

The fund could be used to advance discrete disease- or health-area specific innovations currently missing from our toolbox—such as more effective vaccines against TB or treatments and vaccines for NTDs. It could also be used to develop multipurpose tools that address multiple health areas simultaneously.

The latter includes products like insecticides and other vector control tools, which reduce the burden of multiple diseases carried by mosquitoes, or combination HIV-prevention/contraception innovations, like vaginal rings or injectable therapies. What projects the fund ultimately chooses to finance would be determined by its leadership, in consultation with scientific experts and affected communities.

For a comprehensive table of the types of technologies the fund could support, view page 8 of our policy brief . How would this fund drive inclusive innovation and center the needs of impacted communities?

While USAID already specializes in advancing health technologies that are responsive to the needs of people living in low-resource settings, the establishment of a SIGHT Fund would provide opportunities for USAID to engage impacted communities more intentionally in setting and carrying out its research agenda.

GHTC recommends USAID, in establishing the fund, create a governance structure that includes representatives from affected communities in low- and middle-income countries. This would give these stakeholders a greater voice in setting priorities for the fund and in determining which research projects it supports.

This would also represent a shift from USAID’s current approach, in which research investment decisions are made primarily by US-based leadership of disease- and health-area offices.

In making research awards via the SIGHT Fund, USAID would also have opportunities to build upon its track record of advancing user-centered design approaches and making investments that not only produce new tools, but also strengthen local scientific capacity.

All these actions would serve to support USAID’s broader commitment to inclusive development , which seeks to ensure that every person, no matter their identity, is instrumental in transforming their societies What is the pathway to establishing this fund? To establish the SIGHT Fund, the US Congress would need to provide dedicated funding to USAID.

Congress would do this by creating a new funding line for global health innovation under Global Health Programs within the State, Foreign Operations, and Relations Programs appropriations bill—the annual legislation that funds USAID. Once it receives this funding from Congress, USAID would then have the resources and directive to establish and operate the fund.

For the fund to continue operations, Congress would also need to include this dedicated funding in each subsequent year’s appropriations bills. Congress could additionally choose to pass separate authorizing legislation for the SIGHT Fund, creating it as a formal entity through US law. This pathway would allow Congress to be more prescriptive in dictating how the fund should operate.

The SIGHT Act, which was introduced in 2023, is authorizing legislation that would establish the structure for the fund to be operationalized once funding is provided. What is the difference between the SIGHT Act and the SIGHT Fund? The SIGHT Fund is a proposal for a new flexible, disease-agnostic R&D fund at USAID.

The SIGHT Act is authorizing legislation that would create the structure and authorities for USAID to operationalize the fund. The SIGHT Act would: Establish health R&D as a distinct program area and budget line within the GHB at USAID. Establish a Chief Innovation Officer for Health (CIOH) position within USAID’s GHB to advise the Assistant Administrator for Global Health on R&D priorities and investments.

Establish a Global Health Research and Development Advisory Council comprised of external health R&D experts to advise the CIOH and Assistant Administrator. Authorize the USAID Administrator and the CIOH to make Health Innovation Research and Development Awards. Require an annual report to Congress on USAID’s global health R&D investments and results.

Importantly, while the act would put in place important structural changes that would allow USAID to stand up and operate the fund, it does not provide any new funding. Thus, even if the SIGHT Act becomes law, Congress would still need to appropriate new funding for the SIGHT Fund to become a reality. What is the current status of the SIGHT Act?

The SIGHT Act was introduced on November 15, 2023, in the US House of Representatives by Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Rep. María Elvira Salazar (R-FL), and Rep.

Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA). A list of current co-sponsors is available here . Companion legislation was also introduced in the Senate on September 27, 2024 by Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ).

A list of current co-sponsors is available here . Currently, GHTC is working to build support for the bills in both chambers, with the hopes of eventually securing passage of this legislation. The priority of my organization is increasing access to existing health technologies, so why should I care about this R&D fund?

Despite tremendous progress achieved in global health over the last few decades, we are still without essential tools to combat many global health challenges. No matter what global health area you work in, innovation gaps persist. Take malaria , for example.

While past research successes like insecticide-treated bednets and antimalarial drugs have driven huge gains, growing drug and insecticide resistance is undermining the effectiveness of our current tools, leading to stalled progress. To eradicate this disease, next-generation treatments, vaccines, diagnostics, and vector control tools are urgently needed.

Or look at tuberculosis , the world’s second leading infectious disease killer after COVID-19. It is clear our current tools are insufficient to end this epidemic. The one vaccine we have, which is over 100 years old, does not work consistently in adults, and existing treatments, particularly for drug-resistant strains, can require taking thousands of pills and painful injections for six months to nearly two years.

To turn this tide, we need new and improved innovations. Even for HIV/AIDS programming, where our existing toolbox is relatively strong, it is common for patients to struggle to adhere to daily antiretroviral therapies (ARVs) taken as treatment or prevention.

In the medium term, new technologies like longer-acting injectable ARVs or innovations that combine ARVs with contraception could help more people reliably use treatment and prevention products. Longer term, the development of an effective HIV/AIDS vaccine and cure would have a transformative impact toward ending this crisis.

The fruits of R&D—new and improved technologies—can help make all global health programming and services more effective and efficient, as well as help close access gaps to reach everyone, everywhere with quality care. That’s why it is vitally important that investing in R&D and investing in global health service delivery be viewed as two sides of the same coin in achieving health equity.

For a more detailed look at key missing tools across global health areas, view our fact sheet series .

A diverse group of global health organizations have voiced their support for the SIGHT Fund and SIGHT Act: American Academy of Pediatrics American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene Bay Area Global Health Alliance BIO Ventures for Global Health Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) Boston University Social Innovation on Drug Resistance Program Center for Global Health Innovation Center for Innovation in Global Health, Georgetown University Christian Connections for International Health Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations Coalition for Health Research and Development Consortium of Universities for Global Health Deutsche Stiftung Weltbevoelkerung Dr Marri Channa Reddy Foundation Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation Friends of the Global Fight Against AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Global Antibiotic Research and Development Partnership Global Health Innovative Technology Fund Global Health Technologies Coalition Infectious Diseases Society of America Innovative Vector Control Consortium International Business & Technical Consultants, Inc. International Partnership for Microbicides International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease International Vaccine Institute Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security KNCV Tuberculosis Foundation Linux Foundation Public Health Little Sparrow Technologies, Inc. Makerere University School of Public Health Management Sciences for Health Mbarara University of Science and Technology Medicines for Malaria Venture Population Services International Rice University Institute for Global Health Technologies Society for Children Orphaned By AIDS Inc. South Africa Health Technologies Advocacy Coalition Texas Children's Hospital The Task Force for Global Health UCSF Institute for Global Health Sciences Vanderbilt Institute for Global Health Washington Global Health Alliance American Academy of Pediatrics American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene BIO Ventures for Global Health Center for Global Health Innovation Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations Coalition for Health Research and Development Deutsche Stiftung Weltbevoelkerung Global Health Technologies Coalition Innovative Vector Control Consortium International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease International Vaccine Institute Makerere University School of Public Health Management Sciences for Health Mbarara University of Science and Technology Medicines for Malaria Venture Population Services International Rice University Institute for Global Health Technologies Society for Children Orphaned By AIDS Inc. South Africa Health Technologies Advocacy Coalition The Task Force for Global Health Former and current policymakers speak out on the need for the SIGHT Fund and Act: While serving as Ambassador to Tanzania, I saw the need for new technologies to tackle tuberculosis, HIV, and poverty-related neglected diseases, particularly in places where with fewer healthcare resources.

USAID has historically been a critical partner to global innovators who develop fit-for-purpose products to take on those diseases. The SIGHT Fund could strengthen this work by formalizing research and development as a priority within USAID's Bureau for Global Health—creating opportunities to strengthen research capacity as part of the journey to self-reliance and accelerating the achievement of our most ambitious global health targets.

Ambassador Mark Green, former USAID Administrator For over 25 years, the U.S. Government through USAID, has led the global effort to increase access to TB, HIV, malaria and neglected tropical disease diagnosis, treatment and care, particularly among those who are most impoverished.

With limited budgets, Global Health Bureau staff are forced to make tough calls between program implementation and supporting research for the tools that don’t yet exist to overcome global health challenges, and I’m concerned that R&D funding as a percentage of the overall budget of the Bureau has stagnated.

Investment in R&D shouldn’t be something USAID does if there’s extra money in an annual budget, it should be an articulated priority with its own additional funding, and the SIGHT Fund, grounded in advancing inclusive innovation, is the right approach to make that happen.

Ariel Pablos Mendez, former USAID Assistant Administrator for Global Health USAID should be synonymous with 'innovation,' because the Agency's success depends on finding, nurturing, and deploying the best new technologies and approaches. But innovation needs resources, and the current budget of the Global Health Bureau at USAID is siloed.

We need a new mechanism to finance cross-cutting and disease-agnostic innovation that could help us develop the next generation of essential global health tools in cooperation with the private sector. A dedicated funding line to support that work, like the SIGHT Fund, is long overdue. Dr. Bill Steiger, former USAID Chief of Staff The United States must remain a leader in health technology innovation at home and abroad.

Our bipartisan bill [the SIGHT Act] aims to address global health issues and provide further research and development in order to help save millions of lives on the world stage. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) As an Air Force veteran and as a Member of the House Armed Services and Intelligence Committees, I am acutely aware of the need to support investments in America’s diplomatic and foreign assistance programs.

In fact, I introduced the SIGHT Act with my colleague, Rep. Fitzpatrick to increase the US’s investment in global health research and development.

As we face global challenges and crises on multiple fronts, it is more critical than ever that we strengthen US leadership and bolster our national security by investing in evidence-based, cost-effective and lifesaving foreign aid programs…By investing resources in USAID’s research and development of innovative health technologies, we can help ensure that the