This week’s Pandora Report covers updates on mpox, H5N1, polio vaccination campaigns in Afghanistan, and more. Have a happy weekend and autumn equinox!
Schar School Virtual Information Sessions
If you are interested in a career in biodefense or global health security or want to develop the knowledge and skills necessary to work at the nexus of health, science, and security, find out what the Schar School of Policy and Government has to offer. A virtual open house for all of the Schar School’s master’s and certificate programs will be held online on Monday, September 30, 7-8 PM ET. The Schar School offers flexible part-time or full-time options for graduate certificate and master’s degree programs that teach applicable, real-world skills for in-demand careers. Register here.
OSTP Soliciting Feedback on New Biosecurity Policies
“The Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) has created email accounts to collect feedback from stakeholders on interpreting and/or implementing two new biosecurity policies that are due to go into effect soon. Starting October 26, 2024, the Framework for Nucleic Acid Synthesis Screening, established under the Executive Order on the Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence, will require that federally funded entities conducting life sciences research to only purchase synthetic nucleic acids and equipment from providers and manufacturers that adhere to the Framework. Stakeholders with questions about the interpretation and/or implementation of the Framework for Nucleic Acid Synthesis Screening should submit their questions to syndnaguidance@hhs.gov.”
“Starting May 6, 2025, the United States Government Policy for Oversight of Dual Use Research of Concern and Pathogens with Enhanced Pandemic Potential will require recipients of Federal funds for life sciences research to have policies and procedures in place to provide oversight of biological agents and toxins that, when enhanced, have the potential to pose risks to public health, agriculture, food security, economic security, or national security. Stakeholders with questions about the interpretation and/or implementation of United States Government Policy for Oversight of Dual Use Research of Concern and Pathogens with Enhanced Pandemic Potential can send their questions to ASPRBIO@hhs.gov.”
“In both cases, feedback will be used for policy evaluation purposes and may result in FAQs, but not all emails will receive a response.”
National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology Selects Sen. Todd Young (R-IN) as Chair
Last week, the National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology announced the selection of Senator Todd Young as the Commission’s new chair. The announcement explains that “The National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology is a legislative branch advisory entity whose purpose is to advance and secure biotechnology, biomanufacturing, and associated technologies for U.S. national security and to prepare the United States for the age of biotechnology. The Commission submitted an interim report to the President and the Armed Services Committees in December 2023 and will publish a comprehensive report in early 2025, including recommendations for action by Congress and the federal government. The bipartisan Commission is composed of Congressionally-appointed Commissioners with members from both the Senate and the House of Representatives as well as experts from industry, academia, and government. For more information about the Commission, visit https://biotech.senate.gov.”
Van Kerkhove: US Can and Should Do More About H5N1
STAT News’ Helen Branswell recently interviewed Maria Van Kerkhove, an American epidemiologist and current WHO Acting Director of Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness and Prevention, about H5N1’s spread in the United States. During the interview with STAT, Van Kerkhove said in part: “I think the surprise for me is a highly capable country that has incredible scientists across multiple sectors, what they are trying to do to tackle this. Because the world is watching. And they know that they can do more.”
“Our relationship with the U.S. — with Health and Human Services, CDC, the National Institutes of Health — on the human health side is really strong. We have these conversations all the time. I think what we need to see is more on the animal sector. We need to see much more cross collaboration.”
“My worry in saying this to you right now is the blame game. You know, ‘The human health [side] does this’ and ‘The animal health [side] does this.’ But for me, if we’re actually in this together, then we need to really collectively do more to address this together.”
“I don’t question the will. I do not question the USDA by any means. I’m questioning what it is that is prohibiting animal and human health sectors globally to work more cohesively together.”
“I think more can be done.”
Read the full interview here.
Bonus: Read Think Global Health’s interview with Michael Osterholm focused on H5N1 and other relevant topics here.
NIH Releases Mpox Research Agenda
The National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) recently released an update on the organization’s priorities for mpox research. A press release on the update explained that “The NIAID mpox research agenda focuses on four key objectives: increasing knowledge about the biology of all clades—also known as strains—of the virus that causes mpox, including how the virus is transmitted and how people’s immune systems respond to it; evaluating dosing regimens of current vaccines to stretch the vaccine supply and developing novel vaccine concepts; advancing existing and novel treatments, including antivirals and monoclonal antibodies; and supporting strategies for detecting the virus to facilitate clinical care and epidemiological surveillance.”
Read more here.
Canada Announces Mpox Vaccine Donations
Canada’s Ministries of International Development and Health announced last week that the country will be making 200,000 doses of the Imvamune (another brand name for Bavarian Nordic’s JYNNEOS) vaccine from its supply available to support the ongoing global response to mpox. The announcement further explained that “Canada’s international assistance efforts prioritize the production of vaccines closer to the people who need them the most. In June 2024, the Government of Canada announced an $85-million contribution for Gavi’s African Vaccine Manufacturing Accelerator (AVMA). AVMA aims to contribute to a sustainable manufacturing base and improved pandemic and outbreak vaccine supply resilience in Africa. Today’s announcement highlights Canada’s ongoing commitment to enhancing health security on the African continent and to stemming the spread of mpox.”
Taliban Suspends Polio Vaccination Campaigns
The AP recently reported that, according to the United Nations, the Taliban has suspended polio vaccination campaigns in Afghanistan. This decision is likely to have consequences for both Afghanistan and neighboring countries. In addition to Pakistan, Afghanistan is one of the only countries were polio transmission never ceased. According to the AP, “News of the suspension was relayed to U.N. agencies right before the September immunization campaign was due to start. No reason was given for the suspension, and no one from the Taliban-controlled government was immediately available for comment.”
“Gender Representation in Biosecurity Leadership”
Shravishtha Ajaykumar recently authored this piece for the Observer Research Foundation, writing in part “The underrepresentation of women in biosafety, health, and even biosecurity is a critical issue that warrants immediate attention, especially in light of the rapidly evolving biosecurity landscape. While male dominance in other security fields, such as nuclear security, is widely acknowledged and the need for greater female representation in these areas is often highlighted, the same urgency has not been applied to biosecurity. This oversight is significant, as biosecurity has unique implications for underrepresented genders that remain largely unaddressed. The absence of gender diversity in decision-making roles can lead to blind spots in policy development, where gender-specific vulnerabilities and perspectives are overlooked. This gap is particularly concerning in the context of biosecurity, where the impacts of threats such as pandemics and biological attacks can vary significantly across different genders.”
Health Security Intelligence: Managing Emerging Threats and Risks in a Post COVID World
This volume from Routledge UK, edited by Patrick F. Walsh, includes multi-disciplinary contributions from a range of scholars who explore what role national security intelligence agencies played during COVID-19, and, more importantly, how they can improve their capabilities to better understand and mitigate against emerging health and biological threats, risks, and hazards into the future. This book is open access here.
“Apathy and Hyperbole Cloud the Real Risks of AI Bioweapons”
Filippa Lentzos, Jez Littlewood, Hailey Wingo, and Alberto Muti authored this article from The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, explaining in part “Like other scientific and technological developments before it, AI is dual use: It has the potential to deliver a range of positive outcomes as well as to be used to support nefarious activity by malign actors. And, as with developments ranging from genetic engineering to gene synthesis technologies, AI in its current configurations is unlikely to result in the worst-case scenarios suggested in these and other headlines—an increase in the use of biological weapons in the next few years…Bioweapons use and bioterrorism has been, historically, extremely rare. This is not a reason to ignore AI or be sanguine about the risks it poses, but managing those risks is rarely aided by hype.”
“The Global Pandemic Preparedness Summit 2024: Outcomes Report”
From CEPI: “The Global Pandemic Preparedness Summit 2024: Outcomes Report, published today [September 17], distils the discussions, reflections, and recommendations that emerged from the Summit. The report aims to inform global leaders’ decision-making around international pandemic preparedness efforts by presenting outcomes and recommendations that summarise the views of the Summit’s diverse field of over 80 expert speakers and panellists.”
“Global Health Experts Note Improved Post-COVID Pandemic Preparedness, but Large Gaps Remain”
In this CIDRAP article, Stephanie Soucheray breaks down a recent survey of global infectious disease experts that was conducted by Abbott and “…shows that most experts agree that pandemic preparedness has improved since the COVID-19 pandemic, but significant gaps remain in building surveillance programs to identify emerging pathogens, public health funding, and adequate testing infrastructure.”
“Pandemic Recovery Metrics to Drive Equity (PanREMEDY): Guidelines for State and Local Leaders in Anticipation of Future Catastrophic Outbreaks”
The Center for Health Security at Johns Hopkins recently released this report. Its executive summary explains in part: “The Pandemic Recovery Metrics to Drive Equity – PanREMEDY project sought to give form to the least considered phase of a catastrophic outbreak of infectious disease, while applying an equity lens. The project inquired, “By what measures could local and state decision makers know that efforts at holistic recovery were working, especially for the socially vulnerable individuals and communities hit hardest by COVID-19?”’
“To answer this question, the project team gathered and analyzed a wide range of evidence. They consulted disaster recovery and resilience experts, convened a scoping symposium, reviewed academic and gray literature on epidemic/pandemic recovery, and elicited input from diverse participants via listening sessions. Based upon thematic analyses of these inputs, the team generated an initial set of 44 indicators and distilled ethical and practical considerations concerning their implementation.”
Read more here.
“The United Nations Must Ensure Sustainable Access to Effective Antibiotics”
Ramanan Laxminarayan discusses the UN’s role in addressing AMR in this piece for Think Global Health: “Effective antibiotics, once taken for granted, are no longer a guarantee in any country. Since they were first introduced, the hundreds of millions of tons of antibiotics used—and sometimes overused—for medicine to improve human illness, in livestock for growth promotion, and in agriculture to prevent and treat plant diseases, have resulted in the gradual accumulation of resistance genes in disease causing bacteria, leading to the ability to evade antibiotics and develop AMR.”
“Drug-Resistant Germs Will Kill Millions More People in Coming Decades, Researchers Warn”
Corinne Purtill breaks down recent research on AMR and superbugs in this piece for the Los Angeles Times: “Now, a new report finds that unless officials take action to develop new medications, “superbug” infections could kill nearly 2 million people a year in 2050 — a 67.5% increase from the 1.14 million lives lost this way in 2021…An additional 8.22 million will die of causes related to those infections in 2050, according to a study from the Global Research on Antimicrobial Resistance Project published this week in the Lancet, a medical journal.”
“Into the Unknown: How Quickly Can Vaccines be Developed for Disease X”
Robert Barrie discusses countries’ efforts to prepare for new infectious disease threats and conduct vaccine development in this piece for Pharmaceutical Technology, writing in part “‘Disease X’ is the term the World Health Organization (WHO) coined for the next unknown infectious pathogen that could cause an epidemic or even a pandemic. The phrase ‘Disease X’ was introduced in 2018 to act as a placeholder alongside other priority diseases for research and development (R&D) initiatives. The aim was to create a robust framework for a swift public health response and encourage vaccine research, treatment rollout, and diagnostic test development to combat an unknown pathogen…Despite this available framework, the response to the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 was mired with several challenges. A recent UK Covid-19 inquiry report went so far as to say that government officials had been planning for the “wrong pandemic”, funnelling resources into influenza-based infections.”
African Newsletter on One Health & Biosecurity, September 2024
The latest edition of the African Newsletter on One Health & Biosecurity is dedicated to the intersection of AI and biosecurity as it pertains to Africa. Read the newsletter here.
“Preparing the World for the Next Pandemic: Evidence from China’s R&D Blueprint for Emerging Infectious Diseases”
Ma et al. recently published this article in the Journal of Infection and Public Health:
Background
“With double pressures of endemic and imported emerging infectious diseases (EIDs), China’s ability to detect, prevent and control the unknown virus is of regional and global interest. This study aimed to establish an R&D Blueprint for EIDs in China by identifying the list of prioritized diseases and medical countermeasures (MCMs) that need proactive actions for the next pandemic.”
Methods
“The process mainly referred to the World Health Organization’s prioritization methodology, supplemented by pipeline landscape, rapid risk assessment and multi-dimensional analysis. The study included five steps: 1) identifying potential pathogens, 2) screening into the long list, 3) prioritizing the long list, 4) identifying the final list and 5) generating an R&D Blueprint.”
Results
“China’s R&D Blueprint identified 14 viral pathogens and two virus groups (i.e., Influenza HxNy and Coronavirus X) for proactive and representative MCM development. At least one diagnostic candidate in preclinical study, and one therapeutic and one vaccine candidate in Phase I/II clinical trials for each prioritized pathogen were suggested to be developed as strategic national stockpiles. Various generalized and innovative platform technologies were also highlighted for enhancing overall capacities of EID preparedness and response, covering basic research, experiment, detection, prevention and control, surveillance and information sharing.”
Conclusions
“This is the first study in developing countries that established an R&D Blueprint of prioritized diseases, countermeasures and technologies. Our findings could help to drive pre-emptive scientific and technological actions toward emerging pathogens that may cause the next epidemic and could provide evidence-based strategies for developing countries to establish their national health research agenda tailored to health and research context under resource-limited settings.”
NEW: Accelerating Global Connectivity and Progress Towards the SDGs
From Foreign Policy: “As emerging technologies reshape global dynamics, policymakers are tasked with developing robust frameworks that can keep pace, ensuring that innovation and technology advance the public good. They, along with industry, finance, development, and civil society, must navigate the complexities of supporting equitable growth, managing evolving threats, and addressing critical issues such as AI ethics, digital sovereignty, cybersecurity, biosecurity, and more.”
“This year’s forum will explore how advanced technologies can foster greater connectivity and prosperity, emphasizing the crucial role of science, biotech, technology, and innovation (STI) within the UN framework. Through a series of panel discussions and one-on-one conversations, the FP Tech Forum @ UNGA79 will take a candid look at the state of technology, increasing global fragmentation, and the steps necessary to mitigate risks and leverage technology for material progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals.”
This event will take place on September 25 at 8:30 am at 45 Rockefeller Plaza. Register here.
Available Now: The Role of AI in Advancing Public Health Webinar
From ICF: “For health departments that a short time ago were struggling to move from faxing to online reporting, the leap into the world of artificial intelligence (AI) may seem like a bridge too far. Even those with well-resourced data systems might find it challenging to grasp AI’s impact. However, AI has the potential to revolutionize how work gets done in local, state, tribal and territorial public health departments, improving day-to-day operations and unlocking new ways to advance health outcomes.”
“In this webinar, leading public health experts explore how AI can optimize operations at local, state, and national levels—from transforming data collection, analytics, and forecasting to customizing communication messages, responding to misinformation, and targeting resources to better promote equity.”
Register to view this webinar here.
Session on Public Stakeholder Perspectives for Potential Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A (H5N1) Research Priorities
From NASEM: “On Monday, September 23, from 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm ET, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine will host an open online public listening session to hear perspectives from stakeholders on potential research priorities for the ongoing Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A (H5N1) outbreak. Members of the public are invited to participate and register to provide a presentation during this listening session.”
“This event will be held to inform planning for Potential Research Priorities to Inform Readiness and Response to Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A (H5N1): A Workshop.”
Learn more and register here.
Pandemics, Climate, Health, Conflict: Preventing Future Shocks
From the Pandemic Action Network (PAN): “How can this year’s UN Summit of the Future (Sept. 22-23) serve as a springboard for action in the year ahead?”
“Join PAN, the Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response, and RANA for Pandemics, Climate, Conflict: Preventing Future Shocks on Sept. 24. This event will include former Heads of State and government, senior policymakers, and non-governmental leaders sharing their perspectives on the current political state of play, opportunities, and actions necessary to ensure we are prepared to respond to, and prevent, future global shocks.”
“Please register to indicate interest. Confirmation, full program, and location details to follow. In-person space is limited for this event.”
MPOX: A Public Health Emergency of International Concern
From the Brown Pandemic Center: “On September 27th at 12:00PM ET the Pandemic Center will host a webinar titled Mpox: A Public Health Emergency of International Concern.“
“In August, the World Health Organization declared the mpox outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and neighboring countries a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC). At the time of the declaration, the DRC had reported 27,000 mpox cases, mainly in children, and 1,100 deaths since the beginning of 2023. The WHO has since announced a six month plan to stanch the outbreak, which includes boosting surveillance, increasing staffing in affected countries and improving access to vaccines, among many other measures.”
“This webinar will convene a panel of experts to discuss the current situation and what the global health community should be doing. It will be hosted by Jennifer Nuzzo, Director of the Pandemic Center and Professor of Epidemiology at the Brown University School of Public Health. The panel will include:
Dr. Placide Mbala, Associate Professor, University of Kinshasa School of Medicine & Head of the Epidemiology and Global Health Division, National Institute of Biomedical Research, Democratic Republic of Congo
Dr. Christy Hutson, Senior Science Advisor for Clade I Mpox Response & Chief of the Poxvirus and Rabies Branch at CDC”
“This webinar is part of the Pandemics & Society series, created and sponsored by the Pandemic Center at the Brown University School of Public Health, which focuses on current pandemic threats and response systems as well as how to build preparedness for the future.”
Learn more and register here.
Responsible AI: Design, Development, and Use
Join the Mason Autonomy and Robotics Center (MARC) for this 3-day in-person course on Responsible AI: Design, Development, and Use! As AI becomes increasingly pervasive across various domains, it is essential that we prioritize responsible principles, policies, and practices. Learn from top AI scholars and industry experts about ethical and safe AI deployment. You’ll also gain the critical skills to navigate the complexities of AI in business, healthcare, transportation and more.
Course Dates: October 15-17, 2024
Registration Deadline: October 8, 2024
FLUency: True Expertise and Effectiveness in the Battle Against Influenza
“This Commission meeting, FLUency: True Expertise and Effectiveness in the Battle Against Influenza, will be held on Tuesday, October 8th, in Washington, DC. The focus of this meeting will be to provide the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense with a better understanding of: (1) national leadership to defend food and agriculture against influenza; (2) federal operational requirements for preparedness, coordination, and response; (3) biosurveillance, forecasting, and the need for diagnostic tests; and (4) front-line needs and partnerships in the fight against influenza.”
This event will take place in-person on October 8 from 9:20 am to 2 pm EST. Learn more and register here.
Register now: https://bit.ly/3zMvZOR
NEW: External Review of Ethical, Legal, Environmental, Safety, Security, and Societal Issues of Engineering Biology Research and Development
From NASEM: “Engineering biology holds significant potential to transform the U.S. and global economy, with promise to deliver innovative solutions in health, climate, energy, food and agriculture, and more. As research and development in engineering biology and other areas of the bioeconomy advance, addressing the societal issues related to these technologies is imperative. As requested by the CHIPS and Science Act, this study will conduct an evaluation of the ethical, legal, environmental, safety, security, and other societal issues related to engineering biology, and make recommendations on research needs related to these issues and means to effectively incorporate their consideration into research practice.”
“The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) will appoint an ad hoc committee to review and make recommendations on the ethical, legal, environmental, safety, security, and other appropriate societal issues related to engineering biology research and development. The committee will address the scholarship and practice of addressing these issues, focusing specifically on:
(1) An assessment of the current knowledge and practice on assessing and mitigating various societal issues including ethical, legal, environmental, safety, and security issues.
(2) A description of the gaps and needs relating to such issues, focusing on approaches for co-generation of assessment approaches and design of products, technologies, and services with users of engineering biology research and development
(3) Actionable recommendations on how the National Engineering Biology Research and Development Initiative, established by the CHIPS and Science Act, can address the identified gaps and needs.
(4) Actionable recommendations on how researchers across the range of disciplines engaged in engineering biology can best incorporate considerations of such societal issues into the development of research proposals and the conduct of research.”
“NASEM will produce a consensus report presenting the results of its work and offering its findings, conclusions, and recommendations.”
“We invite you to submit suggestions for experts to participate in this activity. The call for experts closes on October 16, 2024 at 11:59 (ET).”
Recommend an expert here.
NEW: DARPA Invites Proposals for AI Biotechnology Pitch Days Dec. 5-6
“DARPA funds the research and development of technologies with the potential for transformational impact, central to delivering on the agency’s mission to create and prevent strategic surprise for national security. The agency’s Biological Technologies Office focuses on the natural world to derive revolutionary capabilities centered on:
- Foundational technologies that promote simulation and prediction of biological systems and outcomes, like simulation, foundational models, and data generation,
- Warfighter readiness, health, and recovery, such as medical countermeasures, diagnostics, health IT and medical devices, and
- Operational support of U.S. forces to enable their execution of missions across the spectrum, ranging from fibers for garments to distributed, point-of-need manufacturing.”
“To capitalize on these new opportunities and further accelerate the pace of scientific and technological discovery and development, DARPA looks to include targeted and limited-scope investments via an AI BTO solicitation seeking proposals on technologies focused at the intersection of artificial intelligence and biotechnology.”
‘“AI BTO seeks to fund proposals that catalyze the formation of future research projects by clarifying the opportunity space and de-risking technical barriers to achieving high impact,” said BTO Director Dr. Michael Koeris. “To this end, the office is providing $4.5 million to support up to 45 revolutionary catalyst projects and will be finalizing research agreements day of. We look forward to reviewing the novel biotechnology approaches to further our national security mission.”’
“BTO leadership is interested in engaging first-time or non-traditional proposers and seeks revolutionary approaches to emerging or anticipated Department of Defense challenges. During these events, BTO will introduce five new overarching topics that align with AI/ML applications:
- Prediction and Health
- Autonomous Science
- Biomanufacturing/Synthetic Biology
- Challenges with Scale
- Exciting Frontiers”
Pitch Days
“DARPA will host AI BTO Pitch Days on December 5-6, 2024, in the Washington, DC, region to select and award AI BTO catalyst projects. To be considered for AI BTO Pitch Day participation, offerors must submit a short white paper consisting of a technical description of the proposer’s idea in response to one of the focus areas listed above.”
“DARPA will notify offerors if they are selected for further evaluation via an in-person Pitch Day presentation to a panel of BTO program managers at the AI BTO Pitch Day event.”
“If selected for award at Pitch Day, DARPA may issue a Research Other Transactions award for one of three award scenarios – $100,000, $200,000, or $300,000. The maximum amount of government funding given to any single proposer will be $300,000.”
“To submit a white paper, register at https://usg.valideval.com/teams/aibto_2024/signup. The deadline is Friday, October 9, 2024 by 4:00PM EDT. Late applications will not be accepted.”
“Additional information is available on SAM.gov.”
BWC Advanced Education Course
“State Parties, particularly from the Global South, often lack the resources, knowledge, and expertise to participate in the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) diplomatic process more meaningfully. To address this challenge, UNIDIR, Diplo Foundation and FRS are organizing the BWC Advanced Education Course (BWCedu).”
“The course will equip key stakeholders – government officials in capital with responsibilities in BWC implementation, aspiring and active diplomats and life scientists working on BWC issues and biological threats – with the essential knowledge, skills and expertise to actively participate in the BWC diplomatic process and thus contribute to a stronger and more effective Convention.”
“The BWCedu comprises a five-month advanced education programme. Through this programme, 25 participants will gain in-depth knowledge of the Convention, the diplomatic landscape and relevant scientific advancements.”
“The course will employ diverse learning methods, including online lectures, real-time engagement through webinars with experts and Working Group delegates and a week-long interactive in-person session in Geneva. Course participants will be provided with access to a collection of resources and information to support independent study on aspects of the BWC.”
“In its first iteration, the comprehensive programme will focus on the current Working Group agenda items, including the two mechanisms on science & technology and international cooperation and assistance being developed for consideration at the Tenth Review Conference, or earlier at a Special Conference if requested by a majority of State Parties. The course will prepare participants for ongoing engagement in the evolving framework of the BWC, empowering them to contribute to informed decision-making.”
Applications close on September 29. Learn more and apply here.
Call for Experts – Technical Advisory Group on Laboratory Services, Systems and Diagnostics in Health Emergencies
“The World Health Organization (WHO) is seeking experts to serve as members of the WHO Technical Advisory Group on Laboratory Services, Systems and Diagnostics in Health Emergencies (TAG-LAB). This “Call for experts” provides information about the advisory group in question, the expert profiles being sought, the process to express interest, and the process of selection.”
“Well-functioning and sustainable laboratory services, systems and diagnostics, operating according to international principles of equity, quality and safety, are essential to implement the International Health Regulations (2005)1 and achieve global health security. The World Health Organization (WHO) recently published the health emergency prevention, preparedness, response and resilience (HEPR) framework, describing the critical role of the laboratory to implement Collaborative Surveillance.”
“Laboratories also provide essential data to guide clinical care and inform coordination operations, as well as public health and social measures, in a range of emergency situations including outbreaks of pandemic and epidemic prone pathogens and humanitarian settings involving conflict, protracted crises and natural or man-made disasters. Considering this, a global strategy focused on laboratory services, systems and diagnostics for health emergencies is needed to address all of these contexts.”
“This strategy will connect global efforts and advance implementation of the laboratory components of the HEPR framework and World Health Assembly (WHA) Resolution 74.7 on strengthening WHO preparedness for and response to health emergencies that called for countries to “strengthen laboratory-based detection capacities”.”
“In this context, WHO is establishing a Technical advisory group on laboratory, services, systems and diagnostics for health emergencies (“TAG-LAB”). The TAG-LAB will act as an advisory body to WHO in this field.”
“The TAG-LAB is multidisciplinary, with members who have a range of technical knowledge, skills and experience relevant to virus evolution. Up to 25 Members may be selected. WHO welcomes expressions of interest from experts in laboratory services, systems or diagnostics, clinical scientists, academic researchers, healthcare professionals, or others with expertise in one or more of the following areas:
- Laboratory Systems
- Laboratory Services
- Diagnostics
- National and International Policy, Regulation and Guidance
- Biosafety
- Biosecurity
- Bioinformatics
- Clinical Management
- Outbreak Preparedness, Response and Resilience
- Emergency response in humanitarian settings involving conflict, protracted crises and natural or man-made disasters
- Academic Research
- Public Health
- Virology, Microbiology, Mycology, and Emerging or Re-emerging diseases”
Learn more and submit and expression of interest here by September 30.
Call for Experts: Health-Security Interface Technical Advisory Group (HSI-TAG)
“The World Health Organization (WHO) is seeking two experts to serve as new members of the Health-Security Interface Technical Advisory Group (HSI-TAG). This “Call for experts” provides information about the advisory group in question, the expert profiles being sought, the process to express interest, and the process of selection.”
“The concept of Health-Security Interface (HSI) applies to those public health activities whose performance involves to some extent the security sector broadly understood (e.g. international and non-governmental organizations, civil defense, military health personnel, law enforcement and armed forces, defense-related research programmes), certain international organizations and other entities with a security relevant mandate. These activities may include protection of health from traditional and emerging infectious disease threats; deliberate events and investigation of alleged use of chemical and biological agents including non-permissive environments and conflict zones; and any health activities performed in collaboration with security actors.”
“The HSI-TAG is multidisciplinary, with members who have a range of technical knowledge, skills and experience relevant to the Health-Security Interface.”
“Considering the recent developments and global trends, the Secretariat realized that there was a need to strengthen the following areas of expertise/experience, hence welcomes expressions of interest from:
- Bioterrorism experts (knowledge on pathogens of security concern, their microbiological characterization and application/modification for weaponization, diagnostics, countermeasures and containment measures),
- Decision/policy makers with hands-on experience dealing with significant deliberate event(s) (biological/chemical) response at the local, regional, or national level.”
“For the improved geographical and gender representation of the HSI-TAG members, the WHO Secretariat encourages applications from the WHO African, Western Pacific, European, Eastern Mediterranean and Pan American Health Organization/Americas regions and female or non-male gender identities.”
Learn more about the HSI and express interest by October 7 here.
The Pandora Report 