10/90 gap

10/90 gap refers to the statistical finding of the Global Forum for Health Research that only ten per cent of worldwide expenditure on health research and development is devoted to the problems that primarily affect the poorest 90 per cent of the world's population.

Among efforts to address this issue are recent proposals for a Global R&D treaty, and the creation of the nonprofit pharmaceutical company OneWorld Health which develops new and affordable medicines for neglected diseases.

The 10/90 gap has been critiqued on the grounds that "neglected diseases" actually comprise a relatively small disease burden compared to pneumonia, diarrhea, tobacco and obesity-related diseases.