The state of disease research in the Middle East and North Africa from 1980 to 2023

Background The production of disease research in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) increased in recent decades. However, gaps remain in understanding the topics covered, study designs, funding sources, and institutional involvement. Our objective is to assess the state of disease research in MENA over the past 44 years and identify strengths, challenges, and opportunities for improvement. Methods We identified 300,417 PubMed articles affiliated to the MENA region, published between 1980 and 2023, including at least one MeSH term (or keyword) linked to a disease from the Global Burden of Disease database. Our analysis covered research topics, study designs, funding, collaborations, and institutional contributions. Results Top research areas included respiratory diseases (16.0%), cardiovascular diseases (10.9%), and neurological disorders (9.6%). Most studies were analytical (48.6%) and the top funder was the United States. We found that information on local funding is severely underrepresented in PubMed. High levels of international collaboration were seen, particularly in respiratory diseases, but large producers like Iran and Turkey had limited international collaborations. The COVID-19 pandemic had a positive impact on overall disease research production, increasing it by 59.2% between 2019 and 2023. Conclusion This study highlights strengths and challenges in disease research across MENA and emphasizes the need for tailored strategies to improve its quantity and quality. Despite the growth in output, our findings show dependency, inequality, and misalignment. As U.S. funding faces pressure, the sustainability of research depends on the efforts of each country to align its agenda with its own needs.