Health consortium formed in Triangle

More than a half dozen local entities are joining forces to launch the Triangle Global Health Consortium.

The consortium, announced today, is made up of Family Health International, IntraHealth International, the N.C. Biotechnolgy Center, UNC-Chapel Hill, N.C. State, RTI International and Duke University.

As befits an organization with members from academia, business and research, the consortium will promote collaborative research and integrating scientific programs to improve the world's health and establish joint projects.

The emphasis also could improve the state's economic health. The global health sector already contributes at least $2 billion to the state's economy each year, according to a report issued this morning from the Duke Global Health Institute.

More than 7,000 jobs and $508 million in salaries and wages annually are attributed to the sector, according to 2007 data.

The breakdown of that data - which includes for-profit and non-profit businesses - might surprise some people. The strongest economic contributor is not the state's large pharmaceutical and clinical research companies but rather non-profit organizations and research institutions. Together they generated 3,400 jobs, $267 million in wages and more than $1 billion in business activity.

The report "Why Global Health Matters to North Carolina," is co-authored by Charles Becker, a Duke economics professor; Kimberly Page of the Duke Global Health Institute and a small team of Duke researchers.