Pandemic Ready: Safeguarding Our Future Through Preparedness

Recommendation 4: Horizon-scanning and the role of innovation for pandemics

Research, development, and innovation should be viewed as the enablers of effective pandemic preparedness and response. At a lecture at the Royal Society in April 2024,^[21] Dr Anthony Fauci, the former director of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, noted that one of his key learnings from his experience of the COVID-19 and HIV pandemics is that it was prior scientific advances that enabled robust pandemic responses.

The Interim Report recommended that innovation in life sciences continue to be supported, with a focus on the development of diagnostics, vaccines, and therapeutics to provide the capability to respond to novel threats when required. The Committee reiterates this recommendation, and the importance of effective collaboration between the Scottish and UK Governments, PHS, and UKHSA to deliver this.

Research and innovation must be embedded in pandemic preparedness and the health systems more broadly, to enable Scotland to build resilience and preparedness for future emergencies, the exact nature of which are unknown.

The Committee’s Interim Report noted the importance of supporting a ‘triple-helix partnership’ of NHS, academia, and industry to support innovation to this effect.

The Committee acknowledges the work that has been undertaken since then, led by the CSO, to develop this ‘triple-helix partnership’ for healthcare innovation in Scotland. Two initiatives stand out in particular, forming part of Scotland’s end-to-end innovation pathway. Firstly, the creation of CSO/NHS Regional Innovation Hubs^[22] which have been established to support the development of new technologies that respond to the needs of the NHS. Secondly, the establishment of the ANIA^[23] pathway which is governed by the Innovation Design Authority (IDA) and supports the assessment and adoption on a fast-tracked and once-for-Scotland basis of proven technological innovations.

Leveraging existing processes and adapting these to support innovation for and during pandemics is key, and the Committee recommends that the CS(H) works with the Partnership to articulate a mechanism for these initiatives to pivot to consider innovations during future pandemics, ensuring this is well understood in advance of these.

The second part of this proposal, centres on the role of a horizon-scanning function within the Partnership. This function would serve as a clearly identified, two-way channel for Scotland’s public health and academic communities to share information around emerging threats with officials and public health leaders. In practice, this should include the participation of expert advisors from the Partnership in the regular assessments of pandemic and emerging infectious disease risks by the SG and connect the Partnership to policy development for future pandemic preparedness.

4. Horizon-scanning and the role of innovation for pandemics

We recommend that:

A. the CSO and CSA office, with the support of the Partnership, review and identify mechanisms to support academia, industry, and wider partners to encourage innovation for future pandemics and articulate a mechanism for existing rapid-adoption pathways to pivot to consider innovations during future pandemics;

B. the SG and the Partnership formalise a horizon-scanning function, to support the flow of advice into government. This should include the involvement of the Partnership in the SG’s assessments of pandemic and emerging infectious disease risks.