Harnessing science’s power is critical for controlling 2019-nCoV, says WHO DG

World Health Organization (WHO) director-general Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has said that harnessing the power of science is critical for bringing the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak under control.

The director-general said that in a news release WHO emailed to members of the press today to announce that the organization is convening an international research and innovation forum to mobilize global action in response to the new virus.

“There are questions we need answers to, and tools we need developed as quickly as possible,” said Dr. Tedros, according to the release US and Global News also received. “WHO is playing an important coordinating role by bringing the scientific community together to identify research priorities and accelerate progress.”

The global forum will be held February 11-12 in Geneva, Switzerland. It is organized in association with the Global Research Collaboration for Infectious Disease Preparedness.

Key players, including public health agencies, leading scientists, health ministries and research financiers pursuing novel coronavirus critical animal and public health research and the development of diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines, and other innovations, will come together at the forum to examine various areas of research, including finding the virus’s source and sharing of biological samples and genetic sequences.

At the forum, current SARS and MERS coronavirus research will be built upon and knowledge gaps and research priorities will be identified to accelerate scientific information and medical products required to lessen the outbreak’s impact.

It is expected that the meeting will create a global research agenda for the 2019-nCoV, setting frameworks and priorities that can direct which projects are taken up first.

WHO chief scientist Dr. Soumya Swaminathan said, “Understanding the disease, its reservoirs, transmission and clinical severity and then developing effective counter-measures is critical for the control of the outbreak, to reduce deaths and minimize the economic impact.”

According to the WHO press release, this will also expedite the creation and assessment of effective diagnostic tests, medicines and vaccines and, at the same time, identify mechanisms for low-cost access to exposed communities and facilitate community engagement.

Dr. Michael Ryan, executive director, WHO Health Emergencies Programme, added, “The WHO R&D Blueprint is a global strategy and preparedness platform that drives coordinated development of drugs and vaccines before epidemics, and allows the rapid activation of R&D activities during epidemics. It speeds up the availability of the diagnostics, vaccines and treatments and technologies that ultimately save lives.”