The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched a new strategy for identifying priority pathogens through the R&D Blueprint Program of the Department of Health Emergencies. The initiative, launched in 2024, highlights research and development (R&D) as a central element in preventing, preparedness for and responding to epidemics and pandemics.

In this context, for each priority pathogen family, a Collaborative Open Research Consortium (CORC) will be set up – a global hub made up of different actors from the multilateral public health ecosystem (experts, research institutions, funders, stakeholders, academia, medical countermeasure developers, regulatory agencies, etc.).

The main goals are to coordinate R&D activities globally to fill knowledge gaps by permanently mapping strategic research groups and technological development and innovation initiatives, in order to facilitate the circulation of strategic information and accelerate the response to public health emergencies of international importance. It is expected to promote R&D in a more collaborative and coordinated way and, in particular, to reduce inequity in access to knowledge, information and medical countermeasures.

Fiocruz was invited and accepted the challenge of leading the CORC on Flaviviruses, covering pathogens linked to dengue, Zika, yellow fever and West Nile fever. All researchers working with pathogens related to these diseases are invited to take part in the mapping. An open meeting will be held to present the proposal in detail and answer questions.