The Buzz | WHO to meet on promising drugs for new virus
The World Health Organization is convening a research conference next week to identify promising drug and vaccine candidates to be fast-tracked for development against the new virus that emerged from China.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters last night the U.N. health agency will be inviting scientists to identify research priorities and coordinate the effort to find effective drugs and vaccines.
The meeting will be held Tuesday and Wednesday in Geneva and will include some “virtual” attendees. WHO said it would include Chinese scientists but didn’t say if the “virtual” attendees were those who could not travel due to bans, quarantines or other reasons.
“To put it bluntly, we’re shadow boxing,” Tedros said, explaining there are many unknowns about the virus, including its transmissibility and severity. “We need to bring this shadow out into the light so that we can attack it properly,” he said.
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