Supporting the WHO R&D Blueprint to prevent epidemics 2018-2019

In an increasingly connected and urbanizing world, disease outbreaks are a growing risk to people’s lives and livelihoods. As illustrated by recent pandemics, such as SARS, Ebola and Zika virus, they also have significant impact on economies and challenge health infrastructures. They require coordination and increased efforts at the national, regional and global level to ensure we’re better prepared for future outbreaks. Addressing epidemics and other health emergencies is one of the WHO’s three core priorities in its new General Programme of Work (2019-2023). In 2015, WHO established the R&D Blueprint, which outlined a global strategy and plan to allow the rapid activation of R&D activities during epidemics. A large focus is to coordinate global efforts in developing effective diagnostics, medicines and vaccines for outbreaks to save lives and avert large scale crises. The Blueprint works with national governments, UN agencies, civil society, funders and the private sector to improve coordination, accelerate processes and develop tailored norms and standards. This project would allow key areas of work to move forward: (1) coordination, (2) data and sample sharing and related ethics, (3) outlining appropriate regulatory and ethical pathways and implementation of IVTF recommendations, and (4) data sharing for public health emergencies.