Report: Building off COVID, Now is Time for U.S. to Lead R&D

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If the pace of COVID-19 vaccine development revealed anything, it’s what can be accomplished with the full focus of scientists and extensive funding from the U.S. government. Never before have treatments been developed and approved so rapidly. Then again, never before has seemingly the entire scientific world turned their attention and efforts to one problem.

Unprecedented is the most apt way to describe all elements of the pandemic—from its emergence in December 2020 to the pace of emergency use authorization approvals and mass vaccinations. As a nation, we need to capitalize on this supercharged innovation, says the nonprofit Global Health Technologies Coalition (GHTC), which comprises over 25 nonprofit organizations, academic institutions and businesses dedicated to advancing policies to accelerate the creation of pharmaceuticals and diagnostics.

"Developing vaccines in such record-breaking time is, in reality, the product of decades of R&D investments. With smart funding and policy decisions, this foundation can generate a new era of innovations that will protect the health of millions of Americans and billions of people around the world,” said GHTC Director Jamie Bay Nishi.

To that end, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation-funded coalition released a report that identifies policy and funding steps that can be taken now to strengthen global health R&D. Between COVID-19 and the Biden Administration’s commitment to leading with science, the report emphasizes that now is the time to enter a “new, stronger era of research.”

“The same core capabilities instrumental to defeating COVID-19 can also defeat diseases that have plagued humanity for generations—such as AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and Ebola—while targeting emerging pathogens of pandemic potential," said Nishi.

The report’s proposed policy changes include funding increases for:

  • CDC—particularly the Center for Global Health, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases and the Division of Tuberculosis Elimination
  • NIH— for the Fogarty International Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and the Office of AIDS Research. GHTC also believes new funding should include more support for product development and translational research in areas lacking commercial interest
  • Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA)— at least $300 million annually to support work on emerging infectious diseases, antimicrobial resistance and pandemic influenza.
  • Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI)—increased support and commitment of at least $200 million annually

In addition to funding, the report notes the importance of elevating the perception and role of some of the United States’ most important federal health agencies. Calling the CDC “politicized and undermined in the national and international response to COVID-19,” the report points to the need to revitalize and rebuild the agency. GHTC also seeks a greater role for the FDA in working alongside the World Health Organization (WHO) to provide technical support to under-resourced regulatory authorities that would accelerate access to a range of biomedical advances. Under former President Donald Trump, the U.S. withdrew from WHO, an act President Biden overturned with an executive order in his first few days in office.

With that in mind, the report calls on the White House to elevate the importance of global health R&D in achieving social justice priorities, while ensuring USAID is involved in high-level advisory bodies on the pandemic response.

While it was awe-inspiring to see scientists so dedicated to halting the pandemic, the rush of resources and personnel toward one effort is a double-edged sword. According to GHTC’s report, research into other disease threats have been stymied over the past year and counting. Increasing funding for these areas, building on the enormous scientific gains recently achieved and cooperating on a federal level are the first steps to capitalizing on the unexpected opportunities revealed by COVID-19.

"Scientific milestones to defeat many of our world's toughest global health challenges are within sight, and with strong funding and smart policy, these milestones can be reached,” the report concludes.

Photo credit: Government of Alberta/Chris Schwarz