What is the purpose of having a schistosomiasis agenda?
The goal of developing an agenda for schistosomiasis research and control is to better bring together the efforts and aspirations of those working in this field. It is hoped that a more unified community and a more complete spectrum of scientific, medical and public health needs will result in greater progress, enhanced funding opportunities and collegiality resulting in collaborations. At times in the past, disagreements about what the priorities should be (e.g., develop a vaccine for schistosomiasis vs. control disease through chemotherapy) have led to public disputes that in turn resulted in funding agencies rejecting both schemes. From the perspective of granting agencies, unless and until the people who study a disease can agree on over-arching goals and plans, they are less likely to provide financial support. While it is unrealistic to expect that everyone will agree on what are the most important aspects to pursue, the initial primary question should be what would be important
