With the significant international consequences of recent outbreaks, the ITP Lab conducted extensive stakeholder interviews and macro-level health policy analysis to expose gaps in pandemic preparedness and develop legal frameworks for future threats.
Project Team
- Kushal Kadakia, Public Policy & Global Health
- Nora Ghanem, Public Policy & Global Health
- Niveen Hennein, Public Policy & Global Health
- Christina Langmack, Public Policy & Global Health
- Malcolm Nowlin, Public Policy & Chemistry
- Courtney Scoufis, Public Policy & Global Health
- Julia Tuttle, Global Health & Cultural Anthropology
Mentors:
- Professor Julia Barnes-Weise, Duke
- Professor Ana Santos-Rutschman, Duke
Funding:
- Bass Connections
- World Health Organization
The Pandemic Problem
- Emerging infectious disease outbreaks pose a significant health and socioeconomic threat
Research Strategy
Challenges:
- What motivates players to invest in infectious diseases?
Methodology:
- Interviewed stakeholders from the public, private, and non-profit sectors
- Analyzed partnership formation following the Ebola and Zika outbreaks
Stakeholder Analysis
- Public health imperative drove rapid response of key players
- Cost of drug development inhibits sustainable investment
Rethinking R&D
- Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) are a model for risk- sharing and innovation
- Incentives must be tailored to meet unique partner profiles
- Pandemic response must be proactive and not reactive
