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Top e-government news, updated daily, and regular features from the top people in the public sector.
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| New ways to combat future infectious diseases |
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New measures to combat infectious diseases outlined in a Government report published today could drastically cut mortality, save billions of pounds and eliminate the need for mass animal culling.
'Infectious Diseases: preparing for the future' is the latest report from Foresight, a Government science-based programme, led by Sir David King, the Government's Chief Scientific Adviser.
The project looked at the evolving risk and the changing requirements for detection, identification and monitoring of infectious diseases in plants, animals and humans.
It concludes that current and new infectious diseases will continue to have profound human, economic and social impacts, and that unless new ways of sharing research and technological advances are implemented at all levels, the poorest people in the world will continue to suffer disproportionately.
The report includes key findings, a comprehensive action plan, and case studies illustrating the potential benefits of new technologies on future disease outbreaks.
Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, Alan Johnson, said:
"Infectious diseases have an impact on all of us; causing premature human death and suffering, and affecting the animals and plants on which we depend.
"The fact that diseases do not recognise national borders is not new, but this report clearly shows that there must be closer working between countries and those tackling disease - in plants, animals and humans - at every level if we are serious about eradicating the link between poverty and disease.
"This project also demonstrates how technological and social developments can really reduce the negative impact of future infectious diseases on our health and wealth. These kinds of benefits are exactly why we have put science and technology at the heart of Government policy making."
Key findings from the project include that:
• infectious diseases will place a large, continuing burden on health and economies worldwide. They currently account for one fifth of human deaths and affect the poor disproportionately;
• Africa has many more reasons to be concerned about future risks than the UK, including lack of resources, skilled personnel and access to technology; and,
• while many existing threats will continue, infectious diseases are dynamic and diverse and new outbreaks will occur frequently as new infectious agents are discovered year on year. The majority of current and future human diseases are likely to be linked to animal diseases.
The report also showed that improved technologies for the detection, identification and monitoring of diseases will help enable faster responses to disease outbreaks, so reducing the risk. Some of the benefits of the potential technologies demonstrated in the report's illustrative case studies are:
• In a new influenza emerging in 2025, a range of future detection, identification and monitoring systems could reduce UK mortality from a pandemic by ten-fold;
• In a SARS outbreak in 2015, a new diagnostic test could save £230 million of healthcare costs in an outbreak in a major city;
• In 2015, a new bio-sensor, diagnostic device could help to protect UK native woodlands with an estimated value of £1-2 billion per year, from pathogens such as Sudden Oak Death;
• In 2015 a hand held diagnostic device for a range of sexually transmitted diseases could save the NHS £135 million per year for Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea alone; and,
• In an outbreak of Foot and Mouth disease in 2015, detection, identification and monitoring systems could virtually eliminate the need for mass culling and reduce costs of controlling the endemic from £5 billion to £50 million.
The Government's Chief Scientific Adviser, Sir David King, said:
"This project has involved more than 300 scientists and experts, with stakeholders from nearly 30 countries.
"The findings provide a considerable body of scientific analysis and fresh insights to inform policy development by stakeholders at national and international level." |
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