Four Tropical Diseases Put on Fast-Track List

The FDA announced it will offer priority review vouchers to fast-track approvals of treatments and preventions for four deadly tropical diseases — Lassa fever, chikungunya virus, rabies and cryptococcal meningitis.

There are already 20 diseases on the tropical disease fast-track list including malaria, cholera, Zika virus, leprosy and dengue fever. The diseases are rare in the U.S. but the FDA is concerned that “tourism, immigration and military operations are increasing the direct effect these diseases can have on the health of Americans.”

The voucher program was created to spur treatments for diseases that can ravage developing countries but that don’t necessarily have a lucrative market in developed nations.