Report from the InterAmerican Conference on Onchocerciasis XXXV
In November, MDP participated in the Onchocerciasis Elimination Program for the Americas (OEPA) 35th InterAmerican Conference on Onchocerciasis (IACO). The conference was held in Bogotá, Colombia—the first country in the world to eliminate onchocerciasis in 2013.
The theme of this IACO meeting was “Tracking communities and impact within the binational Yanomami Focus.” OEPA, endemic countries, PAHO, and partner organizations discussed strategies to make progress toward eliminating river blindness in the remaining single focus in the Americas shared between Brazil and Venezuela, deep in the Amazon.
During the meeting, held under the guiding principle of “one focus, two countries,” there was much discussion around the support of indigenous communities, as both Brazil and Venezuela have been working with indigenous health agents (IHAs) to bridge the gap between country health workers and the Yanomami communities. IHAs help with translation, social mobilization, and community sensitization.
A side event was organized to celebrate the milestone of “5 Billion Mectizan Treatments…and Counting”. During this event, MDP noted the determination and commitment of Brazil and Venezuela and the health workers who go to extreme measures to ensure the Yanomami communities receive treatment. MDP also recognized Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, and Mexico for achieving elimination of river blindness, paving the way for countries in Africa to follow.
More news from IACO:
Merck Mectizan Award Presented
During the celebration of 5 Billion Mectizan Treatments held during the IACO meeting, Merck* presented Dr. Frank O. Richards, Jr. with the 2025 Merck Mectizan Award for his outstanding contributions to the elimination of river blindness and lymphatic filariasis. We are grateful for Dr. Richards’ 30+ years of leadership and vision in the work to eliminate neglected tropical diseases. Click to learn more.
PAHO Recognized for Leadership
Also at the 5 Billion Mectizan Treatments celebration during IACO, MDP’s Director, Dr. Yao Sodahlon, presented the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) with an award of distinction for its leadership, guidance, and continued commitment to elimination of river blindness in the Americas. Dr. Aída Soto accepted the honor on behalf of PAHO’s Director, Dr. Jarbas Barbosa da Silva, Jr.
New MDP Video in Spanish and Portuguese
MDP’s newest video celebrating 5 billion Mectizan treatments….and counting made its debut at the IACO meeting. In “Five Billion Treatments: The Americas,” you will see the commitment of partners as they work together to eliminate river blindness from the Western Hemisphere. This video is available in Spanish, Portuguese, and English.
Merck Extends Donation for IDA “Triple Therapy” against Lymphatic Filariasis
On November 17, 2025, the Mectizan Donation Program shared a welcomed announcement from Merck that the donation of Mectizan to accelerate the elimination of LF will be extended. Merck will continue to donate up to 100 million Mectizan treatments annually through 2030 for co-administration with albendazole (donated by GSK) and diethylcarbamazine in countries where river blindness is not co-endemic.
Click to read the full announcement.
Remembering Dr. Walter Dowdle
Mectizan Donation Program friend and global health legend Dr. Walter Dowdle died at 94 on November 17, 2025. His long career encompassed many aspects of global health, including AIDS, polio, malaria, and intestinal worms.
Dr. Dowdle attended early Mectizan Expert Committee meetings before serving as Chair from 1999 to 2000. During that time he made significant contributions to the development of technical considerations for initiating mass drug administration of Mectizan and albendazole for the elimination of lymphatic filariasis.
Led by a strong moral compass, Dr. Dowdle was highly respected among his peers as a man of honor, integrity, and humility. The Mectizan Donation Program remains grateful for Dr. Dowdle’s leadership. He will be remembered for his valuable contributions across multiple diseases and improving the health of millions.
Click to learn more about Dr. Dowdle’s distinguished career.
Report from the 74th Mectizan Expert Committee Meeting
In early November 2025, the 74th Mectizan Expert Committee/Albendazole Coordination (MEC/AC) meeting was convened to review global program progress, application approvals for 2025, projected needs for 2026, and major operational challenges impacting efforts to eliminate LF and river blindness.
In addition to these topics, the MEC heard reports about the impact of USAID’s funding cuts on MDA implementation. Representatives from WHO provided updates on mitigation efforts, including monitoring and evaluation activities, technical guidance, intervention integration, and measures to reduce the risk of product expiration. Partner updates from the Reaching the Last Mile Fund, Merck, GSK, and Eisai highlighted adjustments made in response to global funding shifts.
An update on the final phases of the development and regulatory requirements for moxidectin was provided. WHO prequalification discussions and pilot studies are underway. The MEC acknowledged the need for coordinated planning.
The MEC underscored the importance of addressing persistent operational bottlenecks and adapting strategies to maintain progress toward the 2030 elimination targets.
Farewell to Departing MEC Members
The Mectizan Expert Committee/Albendazole Coordination (MEC/AC) was established to provide technical oversight for the Mectizan Donation Program, bringing expertise across key disciplines. The following members have recently completed their terms on the MEC/AC: Dr. Alison Krentel, Prof. B.E.B. Nwoke, Dr. Tom Nutman, Dr. Sébastien Pion, and Dr. Kapa Ramaiah.
During their time on the MEC/AC, they assisted in remarkable progress, including the extension of the Mectizan donation for the implementation of triple therapy to accelerate the elimination of LF in eligible countries, important scaling down of treatment in areas where transmission has been interrupted or eliminated, the elimination of lymphatic filariasis in four countries, and the historic achievement of Niger becoming the first country in Africa to eliminate river blindness. Their advice was invaluable during unprecedented challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.
We are deeply grateful for their contributions to the MEC, particularly for the time and travel required to participate in MEC meetings across the globe, and for the valuable guidance they provided to ensure continued oversight of Merck’s Mectizan donation.
Film:
India’s Grassroots Approach to Eliminating Lymphatic Filariasis
“Escape the Neglect: Stories from the front lines” is a new three-part documentary series produced by Devex in partnership with the Gates Foundation. It illuminates the urgent global fight against neglected tropical diseases through the interconnected stories of patients, community health workers, scientists, pharmaceutical partners, and policymakers.
Watch Episode 1, “Fighting filariasis: India’s grassroots approach to eliminating elephantiasis,” to discover how this elimination program is restoring hope.
Weekly Epidemiological Reports Released for Onchocerciasis and LF
This fall the World Health Organization released annual reports on progress in the efforts to eliminate river blindness and lymphatic filariasis. The reports are in both English and French.
- Progress report on the elimination of human onchocerciasis, 2024-2025
- Global program to eliminate lymphatic filariasis: progress report, 2024
- Progress in eliminating onchocerciasis in the WHO Region of the Americas: Report from the Inter-American Conference on Onchocerciasis, 2024
Recent Research of Note Published by MEC Members
Several academic papers co-authored by Mectizan Expert Committee members relating to the elimination of river blindness and LF were published in 2025, including:
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- Towards elimination of Neglected Tropical Diseases: Strengthening partnerships, fostering collaboration, and promoting country ownership. Dr. Yaya Coulibaly is a co-author.
- Exploring the impact of mobile and migrant populations on mass drug administration coverage and effectiveness in Africa: A scoping review protocol. Dr. Alison Krentel is a co-author.
- Xenomonitoring as an epidemiological tool supporting post-stop surveillance of albendazole-ivermectin mass drug distribution in the Bougouni-Yanfolila evaluation unit, Sikasso, Mali, in 2023. Dr. Thomas Nutman is a co-author.
- Crowdsourced surveillance for neglected tropical diseases, Nigeria. Prof. B.E.B Nwoke is a co-author.
- Incidence of loiasis clinical manifestations in a rural area of the Republic of Congo: Results from a longitudinal prospective study (the MorLo project). Dr. Sébastien Pion is a co-author.
- Managing Lymphedema Induced by Lymphatic Filariasis: Implementing and Improving Care at the Individual and Programmatic Levels. Dr. Kapa Ramaiah is a co-author.
Photo credits: José Augusto Gonzáles Garzón (IACO), Dean Hesse (Dr. Dowdle).
The Mectizan Donation Program is an international program to eliminate river blindness and lymphatic filariasis primarily funded by Merck & Co., Inc.*, with support from GSK.
*Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, New Jersey, USA, is known as MSD outside the United States and Canada.