Health Economic Evaluations of Neglected Tropical Diseases: A Scoping Review

Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) contribute to health and socioeconomic burdens on vulnerable populations. Since health technology assessment (HTA) optimizes resource allocation in resource-constrained systems, this scoping review characterizes the global landscape of economic evaluations for NTDs, highlighting geographic distribution, technological nature, and critical methodological challenges. We conducted a systematic scoping review of economic evaluations of NTDs. Relevant studies were identified across MEDLINE, Embase and BVS databases up to February 2026. The study report followed the PRISMA-ScR guideline. A total of 260 economic evaluations across 95 countries were included. Evaluations published have grown in the last decade. Geographically, Africa concentrated the highest number of countries represented, followed by Asia, the Americas and Oceania. However, a critical disparity was observed regarding World Bank income levels with evaluations heavily concentrated in Upper-Middle and Lower-Middle Income countries. Parasitic NTDs dominated the literature, followed by viral and bacterial etiologies. Prevention was the primary focus of the interventions. Methodologically, the review highlights a critical lack of sensitivity analysis, alongside a widespread failure to adopt rigorous reporting guidelines or transparently disclose funding and conflicts of interest. Despite the growth in economic evaluations of NTDs, geographic and macroeconomic imbalances persist, leaving low-income settings underrepresented.