Update on our working groups
This new feature of the newsletter brings you information about the developments and current focus of each of the GloPID-R working groups. The outputs highlighted below will be presented at the GloPID-R General Assembly on October 19-20, 2022 in Berlin.
Clinical Trial Networks & Funders (CTN&F)
This group brings together representatives from clinical trial networks and funders, to explore the role of funders in better coordination of effective clinical trial responses to future epidemics and pandemics. With mounted global momentum behind this effort, the working group is currently developing a living roadmap of principles, standards and actions for funders. In addition to holding consultations with a variety of stakeholders, the group is preparing to survey the broader GloPID-R membership in order to establish methods of best practice among the GloPID-R members within this theme. On September 29-30, the CTN&F WG will come together near Annecy, France, for a workshop featuring a tabletop outbreak exercise to advance the preparation of the funders’ living roadmap, which will be presented at the GloPID-R General Assembly meeting in Berlin in October.
Contact: Isabel Foster
Research in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs)
This working group has created dedicated sub-groups to focus on two key areas: research prioritization and coordinated funding. Current activities include consultations and a survey of the membership in order to explore various options for coordinated funding and the development and application of research priorities during epidemics and pandemics. Future work is planned in collaboration with COVID CIRCLE, a joint initiative of UKCDR and GloPID-R, to provide an update of lessons learnt in funding COVID-19 research during the current pandemic.
Contact: Emilia Antonio
Data Sharing
This group supports research response during public health emergencies with the objective of developing a data sharing system. It feeds into the WHO R&D Blueprint developed to accelerate and coordinate preparedness and response research during public health emergencies. Today, activities are focused on advancing the GloPID-R data sharing roadmap, supporting the CTN&F living roadmap, and providing input into data sharing principles for clinical trials. Members of the working group plan to meet once monthly to draft principles, suggest key stakeholders as interviewees, and join the tabletop exercise at the September 29-30 meeting near Annecy, France.
Contact: Susan Khader
Social Sciences
Originally created to raise awareness about the importance of investing and incorporating social science research into infectious disease research, this working group addresses a real need. Social sciences are not always integrated into infectious disease research despite the recognized importance of social science research in preparing and responding to infectious disease outbreaks. From 2019-2021, this group met every two months and contributed to the launch of the UN Research Roadmap for the COVID-19 Recovery in 2020. Today, discussions are underway to restructure the working group’s activities and determine new directions for a reformed working group.
Contact: Susan Khader
One Health
The One Health Working Group is being set up by GloPID-R and STAR-IDAZ. They wish to include experts in the fields of human health, animal health, and the environmental and social sciences to reflect the diversity of the sectors involved in One Health, with a balanced representation across geographical regions.
Contact: Isabel Foster
