Jan 18, 2016

Pandemics and national security

This months the report "Global Health Risk Framework" was released. It was prepared by a commission sponsored by The Wellcome Trust [UK]..." in partnership with seven other philanthropic and government organisations including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Rockefeller Foundation, in response to the Ebola outbreak that began in 2014. It was coordinated by the US National Academy of Medicine," according to an announcement at the Welllcome Trust website.

The announcement continues:

"...Dr Jeremy Farrar, Director of the Wellcome Trust and a member of the Commission's International Oversight Group, said:

"Few global events match epidemics and pandemics in potential to disrupt human security and inflict loss of life and economic and social damage. Yet for many decades, the world has invested far less in preventing, preparing for and responding to these threats than in comparable risks to international and financial security.

"Today's report shows that by spending the equivalent of around 40p a year for every person on the planet, we could make our world much safer against the threat of infectious disease outbreaks.

"The cornerstones of the proposed framework must be the creation of a strong, independent WHO Center to lead outbreak preparedness and response, and an expert body to galvanise the research and development of vaccines, therapies, diagnostics and other tools...."

The announcement is at

The report is available as a free download from the US National Academy of
Medicine website:
where there are other links related to the report's launch.