A Better Way to Detect the Origins of a Pandemic

The uncertainty regarding the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic and the alleged biological weapons development in Ukraine, resulting in fears of potential use of biological weapons by Russia, have demonstrated the lack of necessary global pandemic preparedness architecture. In their new article in Arms Control Today, Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) Sam Nunn Distinguished Fellow Angela Kane and NTI Vice President of Global Biological Policy and Programs Jaime Yassif detail proposals on an effective mechanism to detect the origins of a pandemic within the office of the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General. Since her posting at NTI, Ms Kane has returned to her position as a Senior Fellow at the VCDNP.

Ms Kane and Ms Yassif highlight several major criteria for such a mechanism to be successful, including rapidness, transparency, evidence-based approaches and legitimacy for the international community. The authors note that it should take advantage of the twenty-first century emerging technologies to respond to existing and upcoming threats. They argue that establishment of this mechanism within the office of the UN Secretary-General would allow flexibility to employ it when necessary, pulling together resources of the UN system.

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