Our Mission
Restoring Hygiene to Its Rightful Place in Health
The Hygiene Innovation Prize exists to close one of the most significant gaps in modern medicine: the systematic undervaluation of hygiene as a pillar of healthcare.
The Missing 30%
For most of human history, the greatest advances in health didn't come from drugs or surgery. They came from clean water, waste removal, handwashing, and basic hygiene practices. These interventions added decades to human lifespan.
Today, global health spending focuses overwhelmingly on sanitation infrastructure (~45% of historical health gains), pharmaceuticals and surgery (~20%), and increasingly on nutrition (~5%).
But the remaining ~30%—attributable to personal and clinical hygiene—is underrepresented, underfunded, and under-discussed. The Hygiene Innovation Prize exists to change this.
Our Three Pillars
Recognize
We honor scientists and innovators whose work has meaningfully advanced oral, nasal, or respiratory hygiene as a foundation of human health.
Educate
We communicate the evidence linking gateway hygiene to systemic health outcomes—from cardiovascular disease to cancer—making this science accessible to all.
Advocate
We advocate for hygiene to be recognized alongside pharmaceuticals, surgery, and nutrition as a core pillar of healthcare investment and policy.
Want to learn more?
Explore the science behind gateway health or learn about the researchers who are leading this revolution.
