Scientific Response to Pandemic Outbreaks : Stock Taking and Perspectives

The presentation will outline, through different examples, the importance of research preparedness as a key factor to respond rapidly to outbreaks of emerging infections and therefore contribute to public health decisions. It will explain major impediments to this approach and highlight the importance of global collaborations. The new Global Research Collaboration on Infectious Diseases is an attempt to jointly address these bottlenecks prior to an epidemic outbreak through innovative solutions and multi-stakeholder involvement.