UNECE and WHO urge research to prepare for the next pandemic
New joint appeal to researchers and governments to strengthen and accelerate global research
Preparing for the next pandemic is a global challenge that requires an innovative strategy. The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have jointly launched a call to researchers and governments to strengthen and accelerate global research, with a revolutionary approach.
Beyond the single virus: studying entire families of pathogens
Research has traditionally focused on specific viruses considered to be of high pandemic risk. CEPI and WHO now propose to expand the spectrum of analysis, by studying entire families of pathogens that can infect humans, regardless of their perception of immediate risk. The idea is to use “prototype pathogens” as guides to better understand whole families of infectious agents, preparing us for unknown scenarios.
We imagine research as a lighted road
The new approach has been compared to a person looking for lost keys on a dark road (the next pandemic threat). The light of the lamppost represents well-studied pathogens with high pandemic potential. By studying “prototype pathogens”, we expand the illuminated area, gaining knowledge about families of agents that could hide in the darkness. This “darkness” represents different parts of the world, especially those with limited resources and high biodiversity, still little monitored and studied. These are the places where new pathogens could be found, but there is a lack of infrastructure and means for comprehensive research.
Global scientific collaboration
WHO and CEPI stress the importance of collaborative research at global level. More than 200 scientists from over 50 countries participated in the assessment of 28 virus families and a core group of bacteria, comprising 1652 pathogens. Priority was given to those with pandemic potential, considering factors such as mode of transmission, virulence and availability of diagnostic tests, vaccines and treatments.
A global network of collaborative research
To facilitate this process, the WHO is creating a “Collaborative Open Research Consortium” (CORC) for each pathogen family, with an WHO Collaborating Centre serving as a research centre for each family. These CCO will bring together researchers, developers, funders, regulators, trial experts and other key figures with the aim of promoting greater collaboration and equal participation, In particular from those regions where pathogens are most widespread or at risk of spreading.