EDCTP launches €2.25 M emergency funding initiative in response to Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo
Today, the European & Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP) launched an emergency funding initiative ‘Mobilisation of research funds in case of Public Health Emergencies’ to support research activities in response to the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Applications for research funding must be submitted by 10 September 2018.
“Our emergency funding initiative is in response to the research and capacity gaps identified by WHO and partners. It is also in alignment with the regional preparedness plan being implemented to combat the Ebola Virus Disease outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo with potential to spread to the neighbouring countries.”
Dr Michel Makanga, EDCTP Executive Director
On 1 August 2018, via its Ministry of Health, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) informed the World Health Organisation (WHO) of a new Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak in the country. According to the WHO External Situation Reports of 29 August 2018, the public health risk is considered to be high at the national and regional levels and low globally.
The call focuses on the following priorities:
1. Clinical trials for therapeutics
Proposals should include products from the Monitored Emergency Use of Unregistered Interventions (MEURI) list. Evidence of regulatory and ethics approvals for all investigational products included in the study(ies) must be presented.
2. Diagnostics for screening and identification of affected individuals
Proposals should enhance the availability and rapid deployment of diagnostic tools in order to ensure improved surveillance, including active case finding, case investigation, contact tracing and surveillance at Points of Entry (PoE).
3. Clinical and epidemiological studies
Proposals should provide data on epidemiological characteristics such as geographical spread, viral genotype and pathogenicity; clinical information on host susceptibility and host immune responses.
Proposals which will be funded under this Emergency Mechanism are expected to answer the most pressing questions raised by responders to public health emergency, as part of the efforts to manage and prevent the spread of the current EVD epidemic.
Proposals must be submitted via EDCTPgrants by 10 September 2018 17:00CET. EDCTP expects to communicate the results of the review procedure 10 working days after the deadline for proposals.
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