Chinese Covid labs
According to a draft joint document, leaders of the world’s 20 largest economies are set to commit to boosting efforts to cut to 100 days the period required to develop new vaccines, drugs and tests in a pandemic.
In normal conditions developing vaccines takes more than a decade, but the COVID-19 pandemic spurred an extraordinary rush in research, trials and regulatory procedures that made it possible to have vaccines ready in less than a year.
Now G20 leaders want that period to be shorten further.
In health emergencies caused by pandemics “we will support science to shorten the cycle for the development of safe and effective vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics from 300 to 100 days,” says a draft statement seen by Reuters that G20 leaders are set to adopt over the weekend at a summit in Rome.
The draft is still subject to last-minute changes, but officials said that this commitment is likely to remain unchanged.