“Fighting pandemics is a team effort,” said Dr. Gavin Cloherty, head of infectious disease research at Abbott and head of the Coalition. “It takes a dedicated team with a comprehensive, actionable plan to ensure that the global health community is two steps ahead of the next pandemic.”
In its first year, that plan proved that connected research across borders is feasible and beneficial. The Coalition:
Viruses are constantly evolving. Our Coalition must do the same.
What We’re Looking At
Today, Coalition partners are on the ground collecting, logging and monitoring diverse pathogens – from the rainforests in Colombia, Brazil and Thailand, to the expansive savannas of South Africa, to the metropolitan areas of India and the U.S. to keep pace with new and changing viruses.
They’re working with healthcare professionals to catch viral threats before they reach levels of concern. If a person presents with an unknown illness that can’t be identified with current tests, the healthcare provider shares patient samples so they can be screened. That screening helps identify a virus as known or unknown. If it’s unknown, it kicks off a process in which a prototype diagnostic test can be developed for the global health community to facilitate broader research and viral monitoring.
As these unknown threats become more common, we’ll need more eyes on the ground. That’s why Abbott and the Coalition are committed to growing and supporting the world’s ranks of Virus Hunters.
The WHO recommends a ratio of one field epidemiologist for every 200,000 people. Only a fraction of countries have met that goal.
To help train the Virus Hunters of tomorrow, the Coalition is partnering with the Training Programs in Epidemiology and Public Health Intervention Network (TEPHINET) which is already training field epidemiologists in more than 100 countries. “We're excited to work alongside the Pandemic Defense Coalition, especially since Abbott is our first-ever industry partner who is supporting continued education for field epidemiologists,” said Dr. Carl Reddy, director of TEPHINET. “Strengthening the public health workforce is important to ensure consistent quality and standards as we collaboratively work towards preventing the next pandemic.”
Our fellowship programs ensure that these scientists have the latest training and access to expert mentors to support virus discovery efforts and build local scientific infrastructure to ultimately gain better insight into current and future viral threats.
Looking to the Future
Going forward, the Coalition will continue its surveillance, research and diagnostic test development to help stop the next pandemic in its tracks. Our ongoing infectious disease research will help the world better target and address existing threats from SARS-CoV-2 as well as hepatitis, HIV, viruses native to certain geographies and those we don’t know about yet.
“We know that viruses adapt over time, but scientists are highly adaptable too,” said Dr. Mary Rodgers, principal research scientist at Abbott. “From SARS-CoV-2 to HIV, scientists are prepared to meet the unpredictable nature of virus surveillance every day.”
As the Coalition expands, analysis of infectious diseases around the world will continue, and educational opportunities for current and future virus hunters will be supported. We’re ready for the next milestone: shaping a world where scientific and public health experts can confidently and rapidly respond to infectious disease threats.
As the world learns to move forward, the question of how to ensure we’ll never have to endure this again will linger.
The answer lies in acting now.
Viruses move fast. To prevent the next pandemic, we must move faster.
We intend to do just that.
*Note: Abbott SARS-CoV-2 tests are subject to local regulatory and commercialization requirements.
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