Executive Summary
The COVID-19 pandemic has painfully confirmed what experts have warned against since the 2009 H1N1 and 2014-2016 Ebola pandemics: the world has been gravely under-prepared for large outbreaks of emerging infectious diseases.
The EU is drawing lessons from the COVID-19 crisis, with new policy initiatives brought forward by the European Commission on better preparedness for future health threats. To support and inform that process, we as science and ethics advisors have examined evidence on the responses to the COVID-19 and, in part, to previous pandemics – which has revealed important lessons learned and to be learned. On that basis, we have formulated a range of recommendations, which are summarised below.
Prevent and pre-empt
- Support multifaceted efforts to investigate, map and reduce the risk of emerging infectious diseases globally, including the surveillance of pathogen reservoirs, mitigation, forecasting and early detection of potential outbreaks.
- Support a combination of complementary approaches for accelerating the research on and development of responses to pathogens with epidemicand pandemic potential.
- Strengthen multi- and cross-disciplinary research on pandemic prevention, preparedness, responses and impacts, analysing the multifaceted societal aspects and consequences of health crises.
Enhance coordination across Member States and at international level
- Establish a standing EU advisory body for health threats and crises, including epidemics and pandemics. This body should liaise with advisory bodies in the Member States as well as at EU and global level. It should have a multidisciplinary and inclusive membership so it can advise on biomedical, behavioural, social, economic, cultural, ethical, legal, technological and international aspects.
- Ensure that monitoring efforts are comprehensive, evidence-based, rapidly shared and well-coordinated across the EU, enabling strategic decisions in response to the situation at hand, insights through real-time comparisons, as well as collective action where appropriate.
Strengthen systems for preparedness and management
- Encourage Member States to provide healthcare for all, respecting the principles of justice and solidarity and adhering to the commitments established in the context of European fundamental rights instruments, such as the European Pillar of Social Rights, and the Sustainable Development Goals.
- Ensure robust and equitable access to critical products and services for all EU citizens and demonstrate global solidarity. This involves pre-emptively
providing criteria for the allocation, among and within Member States, of
limited resources essential to manage a pandemic and mitigate harm, with
due regard to the moral equality of all persons.