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            Period. 27 April – 3 May 2020          

                
       
    


    
    
    

    
          
Arguing that “as long as anyone is at risk from this virus, the entire world is at risk” and the urgent need to “accelerate the strengthening of sustainable health systems”, the WHO launched a new initiative this past week to accelerate the innovative development, production and equitable access to new COVID-19 diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines. The Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator aims to strengthen global collaboration across governments, civil society, academia, and the private sector. Citing the lack of equitable access to early HIV/AIDS treatment and to vaccine deployments during the 2009 H1N1 outbreak, the WHO Director General warned “we cannot allow that to happen again.”


This WHO Accelerator initiative would augment the WHO COVID-19 R&D Blueprint adopted in February, while the Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative earlier this month announced a parallel effort focusing on resource-poor settings. The COVID-19 Clinical Research Coalition includes over 70 institutions from over 30 countries and aims to accelerate research and access to priority needs of vulnerable populations. See: STAT COVID-19 Drugs and Vaccines Tracker.



    
     
      
      
      
            
      
              

        

          
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