EA should spend its “funding overhang” on curing infectious diseases

Abstract

The Effective Altruism community has an abundance of resources to spend on charitable causes, and this article argues that a significant portion should be directed towards developing and deploying vaccines against infectious diseases. The author posits that developing vaccines for diseases such as tuberculosis, malaria, and Group A Strep could save millions of lives and represent a cost-effective use of resources. They explore potential strategies, including advanced market commitments (AMCs) and challenge studies, as well as the use of systems immunology research and subsidies for mRNA vaccine production facilities. The article also examines arguments against this proposal, such as the lack of rigorous methodology, the potential for lower disease burden in the future, and the fact that organizations like the Gates Foundation and Wellcome Trust already fund vaccine research. Despite these concerns, the author argues that developing vaccines against infectious diseases merits significant investigation and is a worthwhile endeavor for the Effective Altruism community. – AI-generated abstract