Overview

Robust evidence from high-quality research is vital for pandemic and epidemic intelligence, forming the basis for effective collaborative surveillance and informed public health decisions. The COVID-19 pandemic has spurred innovation in data and laboratory science and improved our ability to detect, assess and respond to health threats. However, research on surveillance methods and tools requires greater coherence and more efficient ways to translate research for evidence-based policy-making.

The WHO Pandemic Hub has coordinated a process to set research priorities that should be particularly relevant for routine public health surveillance practices in collaboration with the Global Research Collaboration for Infectious Disease Preparedness (GloPID-R), Charité University Hospital Berlin and the WHO Science Division and with a financial contribution and observer role of Wellcome Trust. The goal was to identify the key research areas that would generate high-quality evidence and methods to better inform decision-making in global health emergencies. This technical brief outlines the priorities for research in pandemic and epidemic intelligence identified through the prioritization process.