Vaccines network launched in UK

The network will bring together the UK’s leaders in vaccine development and research to focus on the most serious global health threats.

While at the G7 summit in Germany earlier this week, Prime Minister David Cameron set out how the UK will step up its efforts to combat the outbreak and spread of deadly viruses.

“The UK will lead the way but we need a truly global response if we are to face down this threat

PM David Cameron

Speaking ahead of Monday’s summit meeting, Cameron said: “As a world we must be far better prepared with better research, more drug development and a faster and more comprehensive approach to how we fight these things when they hit.

“The UK will lead the way but we need a truly global response if we are to face down this threat.”

The Medical Research Council (MRC) has committed £5 million to the network over the course of the next five years, and will work together with leading pharmaceutical companies, universities and disease experts, as well as other research councils, to focus on the most threatening diseases including Ebola, Lassa, Marburg and Crimean-Congo Fever.

Head of Infections and Immunity at the MRC Des Walsh said: “In a time of an unprecedented number of emerging infections, the new network will allow us to work more closely with other leading organisations to accelerate our response to new and deadly infections.”