Pandemic Preparedness

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Pandemics will continue to threaten public health and even mankind; what we have learned from past events has been published manyfold, e.g., by WHO. Pathogens with pandemic potential have been identified and, as the “post-pandemic period is the pre-pandemic period”, organizations and structures with the appropriate financial and human resources to prepare for pandemics are needed within a framework of global collaboration. Past successes in pandemic preparedness came from decades of multidisciplinary research collaboration and support for basic sciences; thus, to translate innovation into usable products, long-term investments in basic research are essential. The “One Health Approach” acknowledges that humans, animals and the environment form an interconnected framework for emerging “new” pathogens that may in the future cross the species barrier. The 2010 Nagoya protocol (UNTC) should be fully implemented. Once all of the above points have been considered and implemented, “ad hoc” vaccine production capacities and the logistics for distribution and vaccination need to be readily available. Sufficient funding is crucial not only before, but also early on during a pandemic to guarantee that sufficient amounts of life-saving products are available for all populations. Regulatory responses allowing rapid evaluation of new vaccines without compromising product safety form another cornerstone for successfully fighting pandemics. Pre-pandemic preparedness efforts must be sustained, even if other urgent public health matters need to be addressed today.