Publication

This expert brief analyzes global disease estimates and their role in policymaking. The author introduces the Global Burden Disease (GBD) Study, the most comprehensive effort to date to quantify the world's health status. He argues, however, that the study is unlikely to dramatically alter donor policies or mobilize significant new foreign aid. The more likely and better use of the study and its future iterations are as evidence and sources of accountability for national governments in addressing the needs of their citizens. As such, the legacy of the study may help to usher in the emerging era of global health.