New Report Charts Ways to Expedite Research During Epidemics

When the largest Ebola outbreak in history exploded across West Africa in 2014, public health authorities raced to test experimental vaccines and drugs they hoped would quell the massive epidemic.

But the trials process was too slow, and in the end, a massive influx of outside medical help and strict enforcement of measures to prevent ongoing infection were what brought the outbreak under control.

Now, a new report commissioned by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine attempts to chart a road map for expedited clinical trials for future epidemics, hoping to ensure that the lessons from the devastating Ebola outbreak are not forgotten.

“There will be one. The more we can start now, the better we’ll be,” said Dr. Gerald Keusch, co-chairman of the committee that produced the report.

The report, “Integrating Clinical Research into Epidemic Response: The Ebola Experience,” was released Wednesday.

A number of the recommendations in the nearly 300-page report focus on trying to build up health systems in low-income countries, so that they are better able to spot, respond to, and contribute to research during future disease outbreaks.