Incurable Diseases: WHO Neglected Tropical Diseases & Definitional Complexity

No single percentage of "incurable deadly diseases" exists—definitions vary by era, access, and "cure" criteria (sterilizing vs. functional remission). WHO highlights Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs)—20 conditions (e.g., rabies, leprosy, Chagas, dengue, snakebite envenoming)—disproportionately affecting the poor, with limited curative tools. Many NTDs are controllable/eliminable with mass drug administration, vector control, and vaccines, but true cures remain elusive for some. Advances in gene therapy, mRNA, and drug repurposing continually shift the boundary.