Covid-19 has prompted heightened interest in how to ensure research, development (R&D) and access to medical countermeasures - that is, health technologies such as drugs, vaccines, diagnostics - for preparedness and response to pandemics. The United States has an established and extensive innovation system directed at the development of medical countermeasures, and analysing its successes and shortcomings can provide valuable insights for other countries and regions, as well as for current debates on how to reform the global system. Joseph Larsen will reflect on the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) experience developing and procuring medical countermeasures based on 10 years experience pre-Covid, and how it has impacted the United State’s preparedness and response to public health emergencies. Daniel P. Gross will further describe U.S. crisis innovation policy, analysing similarities and differences between approaches taken in World War II and the COVID-19 pandemic, with insights into the long-term impacts of crises on the innovation system more broadly and lessons for innovation policy in both crises and regular times.
Speakers
- Joseph Larsen, Vice President, Strategic Portfolio Development, Venatorx Pharmaceuticals; Former Deputy Director, Division of CBRN Medical Countermeasures, Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA)
- Daniel P. Gross, Assistant Professor, Duke University Fuqua School of Business; Faculty Research Fellow, National Bureau of Economic Research
- Moderator: Suerie Moon, Co-Director, Global Health Centre; Professor of Practice, Graduate Institute
Event Materials
- Biographies of Speakers
- Presentation by Joseph Larsen
- Presentation by Daniel P. Gross
- Larsen JC, Disbrow GL (2017) “Project BioShield and the Biomedical Advanced Research Development Authority: A 10-Year Progress Report on Meeting US Preparedness Objectives for Threat Agents”, Clinical Infectious Diseases.
- Gross DP, Sampat BN (2021) “Crisis Innovation Policy from World War II to COVID-19", forthcoming in NBER Entrepreneurship and Innovation Policy and the Economy, Cambridge, MA: National Bureau of Economic Research.
- Sunyoto T, Vieira M, Moon S, Bezruki A (2020) “Research Synthesis: Biosecurity R&D”, Knowledge Portal on Innovation and Access to Medicines , Global Health Centre.
- Q&A Session with the participants
