J Barbosa and colleagues reply to Diana N J Lockwood and colleagues

We wish to clarify some of the points raised in Diana N J Lockwood and colleagues’ article on the hazards of setting targets to eliminate disease with particular reference to leprosy.1 We disagree with the view that the leprosy elimination target is harmful, given the robust evidence available and the active commitment of affected countries and the global community. Leprosy reached its current low prevalence and low number of new cases as a result of two major developments. These were the introduction of World Health Organization multidrug therapy in 1981 and the commitment of leprosy endemic countries in 1991 (World Health Assembly resolution 44.9) to eliminating leprosy as a …