Researchers discover a secret weapon that saves babies' lives. And it's not medical

Researchers discover a secret weapon that saves babies' lives. And it's not medical

Jonathan Lambert

August 18, 2025 / 7:08 am

To save the lives of infants and small children living in low- and middle-income countries, there are a handful of tried and tested tools, like anti-malarial drugs, bed nets and vaccines. The results from a massive experiment in rural Kenya suggests another: cash.

Infants born to people who received $1,000, no-strings-attached, were nearly half as likely to die as infants born to people who got no cash, according to a report published Monday by the National Bureau of Economic Research. Cash cut mortality in children under 5 by about 45%, the study researchers found, on par with interventions like vaccines and anti-malarials.

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