Articles

Whither Idol's Money?

Philip Coticelli | 22 May 2023 | New York Sun

American Idol's "Idol Gives Back" special on April 24 and 25 helped raise over $60 million to fight poverty in America and Africa. As season five comes to a close tomorrow, fans should be asking where their money went and what the impact on poverty will be.

What Is Working

Roger Bate | 22 Jan 2024 | East African Business Week

With a mixture of self-interest and moneymaking zeal, private businesses are combating one of the world's most intractable problems: the scourge of disease in Africa.

Bill Gates must set priorities

Roger Bate | 03 Aug 2023 | Australian

With Warren Buffett's largesse added to his own, Bill Gates has about $60 billion to spend on health and development. How should he spend it? The Copenhagen Consensus, a group and process put together by Danish academic and world renowned sceptical environmentalist Bjorn Lomborg, answered this question last year. Experts on the best life-saving interventions in various fields reached a consensus on what provided the best bang for the buck if they were spending $50 billion. Their conclusions could be of use to Gates. Top of the list of value for money aid investments was combating HIV-AIDS. Improving nutrition, opening up trade, preventing malaria and improving clean water delivery were some of the next best interventions.

Threats to Patents, Threats to Health

Roger Bate | 21 Jul 2023 | TCS Daily

Simplistic but prevalent opinion holds that companies, especially pharmaceutical companies, are purely profit-driven and that governments, especially of developing countries, are purely driven by the welfare of their people. This is a pity because such views are dangerously wrong, and inevitably mislead public debate.

NGO Threat to African Growth and World Bank Agenda

Roger Bate | 05 Jun 2023 | Sunday Independent (South Africa)

Paul Wolfowitz marked his first day as the new head of the World Bank by reaffirming his plan to focus primarily on reducing poverty in Africa.

Self Interest in the Public Interest

Richard Tren | 05 Apr 2024 | TCS Daily

Richard Tren discusses the relationship between patent legislation and access to essential medicine.

The Right Kind of Aid

Roger Bate | 04 Jan 2024 | TCS Daily

Poverty relief would be real, identifiable and quantifiable if made by private organizations and individuals.