WHO to identify potential pandemic agents

The World Health Organization on Monday launched a new list of priority pathogens that are at risk of causing pandemics and outbreaks and should be kept under close scrutiny.

WHO said its aim is to update a list that guides global research and development (R&D) and investment, particularly in vaccines, tests and treatments.

As part of that process, which began on Friday, the UN health agency has convened more than 300 scientists to review evidence on more than 25 virus families and bacteria.

They also look at the so-called ‘disease X’, an unknown pathogen that could cause a serious global epidemic.

“Targeting high-priority pathogens and virus families for research and development of countermeasures is critical to rapid and effective epidemic and pandemic response,” said Michael Ryan, WHO Director of Emergencies. It’s essential,” he said.

“Without the significant investment in research and development prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, we would not have been able to develop a safe and effective vaccine in record time.”

This list was first published in 2017.

Currently includes COVID-19, Ebola Virus Disease, Marburg Virus Disease, Lassa Fever, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), Nipah, Zika, and Disease X.

For each pathogen identified as a priority, experts identify knowledge gaps and research priorities.

Desired specifications for vaccines, treatments and diagnostic tests can then be developed.

Efforts are also being made to facilitate clinical trials to develop such tools, while efforts to strengthen regulatory and ethical oversight are also being considered.

The revised list will be published by April 2023.

pandemic treaty

The Pathogen Threat Session will take place as WHO prepares for the next round of consultations towards the Pandemic Convention.

Intergovernmental negotiating bodies are paving the way for a global agreement that can ultimately regulate how countries prepare for and respond to future pandemic threats.

They are scheduled to meet in Geneva from December 5-7 to draft and negotiate a WHO Convention or other type of international agreement on pandemic preparedness and response.

A progress report will be submitted to WHO Member States next year, with final results submitted for consideration in 2024.

A first draft of the December meeting was released last week.

A panel at the World Council on Public Health, an independent coalition of politicians and health leaders, said despite its bright spots, the draft did not go far enough.

The panel said on Monday that more needs to be done to establish accountability and clarify timelines for alerts and responses to avoid damaging consequences when an outbreak occurs. said.

“Once an outbreak is detected, there are often several critical hours to report, assess and act to stop the spread of the disease before it becomes virtually unstoppable,” the panel said in a statement. rice field.

“The current draft does not suffice to demonstrate the urgency needed to prepare for or respond to disease X or known pathogens at an early stage,” it said.

“From December 2019, when information about the novel coronavirus was suppressed, to multiple countries taking a ‘wait-and-see’ approach when COVID-19 cases were first reported… We have seen the detrimental consequences of inaction in ”

© 2022 AFP

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