The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) have issued a call to action for researchers and government worldwide to intensify and expedite global research efforts in anticipation of future pandemics.
According to the report presented at the Global Pandemic Preparedness Summit in Brazil by the WHO and R & D Blueprint for Epidemics, the focus should be on expanding research to entire families of pathogens capable of infecting humans, regardless of their current perceived pandemic risk. The approach proposes using prototype pathogen as guides or pathfinders to develop the knowledge base for entire pathogen families.
WHO and R&D urges a broader based approach by researchers and countries to aim at creating broadly applicable knowledge ,tools and counter measures that can be rapidly adapted to emerging threats. The strategy will ensure it aims at speeding up surveillance and research to understand how pathogens transmit and infect humans and how the immune systems responds to them.
The report likened the updated recommendations to imagining scientists as individuals searching for lost keys on a street (the next pandemic pathogen). The area that is well lit by the streetlight represents well-studied pathogens with known pandemic potential.
Based on this analogy, when researching prototype pathogens, we can expand the lit area, gaining knowledge and understanding of pathogen families that might currently be in the dark. The dark spaces represent the resource scarce regions of the world who while boasting a high biodiversity still remain understudied.
These places might harbor new pathogens, but lack the infrastructure and resources to conduct comprehensive research.
According to Richard Hatchett, CEO of CEPI, WHO‘s scientific framework for epidemic and pandemic research preparedness is a vital shift on how the world approaches countermeasure development which is strongly supported by CEPI.
‘’The framework will help in steering up and coordinate research into entire pathogen families ,a strategy that aims to bolster the World’s ability to swiftly respond to unforeseen variants ,emerging pathogens , zoonotic spillover and unknown threats referred as pathogen X,’’ he said.
According to the report, prioritization works by involving over 200 scientists from more than 50 countries, WHO evaluated the science and evidence on 28 virus families and one core group of bacteria, encompassing 1652 pathogens. Based on the information on transmission patterns, virulence, and availability of diagnostic tests, vaccines, and treatments the epidemic and pandemic risk was determined by considering available.
‘’ CEPI and WHO also called for globally coordinated, collaborative research to prepare for potential pandemics.’’
According to Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director –General, History teaches us that the next pandemic is a matter of when, not if and that it is therefore important to consider the importance of science and political resolve in blunting its impact.
“There is need that same combination of science and political resolve to come together as we prepare for the next pandemic. Advancing our knowledge of the many pathogens that surround us is a global project requiring the participation of scientists from every country, “said Dr Tedros.
According to the report, these CORCs around the world will involve researchers, developers, funders, regulators, trial experts and others, with the aim to promote greater research collaboration and equitable participation, particularly in areas where the pathogens are known to highly likely to circulate.
WHO confirmed that is engaging research institutions across the world to establish a Collaborative Open Research Consortium (CORC) for each pathogen family, with a WHO Collaborating Centre acting as the research hub for each family.
