Mpox outbreak underscores urgent need for rapid-response capability in Canada

BY DR. DERMOT KELLEHER

This editorial originally appeared in The Vancouver Sun.

On Monday, the World Health Organization launched a global response plan to combat the outbreak of mpox in Africa as a public health emergency of international concern.

While there have been relatively few reported cases of mpox — formerly known as monkeypox — in Canada, there’s a danger of global spread that could increase the threat we face here at home. According to the WHO, the outbreak demands a “co-ordinated international response” to save lives, particularly among vulnerable populations.

This outbreak, along with recent outbreaks of H5N1 bird flu and the potential threat of future pandemics, underscore the urgent need for Canada and western countries to invest sustainably in the research and infrastructure necessary to combat infectious agents and disease.

At the University of British Columbia, we’ve taken a critical first step by leading a state-of-the-art immuno-engineering and biomanufacturing hub, thanks to significant federal funding and strategic input and collaboration from the B.C. government and national partners across the non-profit and private sectors. At this hub, through advanced research, we’re accelerating the development and clinical testing of new therapeutics and vaccines so we’re ready to respond when the next pandemic lands on our shores.

Here’s the reality — we have no choice. The cost of inaction is too great.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, we saw the serious and long-term damage one virus can unleash when we’re not equipped to respond. Many Canadians suffered and lost their lives while researchers worked tirelessly to develop vaccines and treatments.

Fortunately, 18 billion doses of mRNA vaccines have been administered across the world, thanks in large part to the lipid nanoparticle delivery technology created by UBC Prof. Pieter Cullis, helping to bring the pandemic to a close. But while those vaccines were in development, Canada’s economy suffered, businesses closed, jobs were lost. To prop up the economy and struggling families, governments had to spend billions, which future generations may inherit in the form of government debt.

Our children were also hard hit — not by the virus directly, but by school closures and isolation, the effects of which we’re still only beginning to fully understand.

We must avoid repeating the mistakes of the past. By investing in research and rapid biomanufacturing capabilities today, we’ll build a legacy for our children and their children.

We must have a bold vision to grow, enhance and sustain these investments in perpetuity and ensure that research capabilities are embedded in our health systems so we can ask the right questions and respond in real time. We should not allow our rapid-response capabilities to degrade or become outdated over time or through complacency. A swift response relies on preparation, which will only be possible through continuing investment in research, science and health care.

This latest global health crisis should remind Canadians about what’s at stake. We’re still recovering from the last pandemic because we weren’t adequately prepared. This time around we must ask ourselves — how can we bring our research and science to patients safely and rapidly? This is the most urgent question in medicine today — a call to action where our next steps will determine our ability to combat diseases and stop outbreaks in Canada and around the world.

While the need for speed and investment has never been greater, there’s good news — we still have time. Armed with the proper resources, researchers at UBC — and other academic and private-sector organizations across Canada — can marshal our considerable talents to save lives and improve the health of millions of people. This mission requires the will of governments and continued collaboration between partners from across the life sciences and health sectors.

Everyone should have access to lifesaving medicine. The pillars of health care — research, prevention, diagnosis and treatment — should know no geographical or economic bounds. Equity of access should mean that medicines developed at UBC and in other rich western countries must be rapidly available where they’re needed most.

Canada has a long history of supporting people around the world. The work being done now at UBC will not only benefit Canadians but people in countries hit hardest by disease.

COVID-19 was not the end of the story; neither is mpox. Widespread health challenges, including outbreaks, will always be with us. In turn, we must always be vigilant in preparing our response.

Dr. Dermot Kelleher is the dean of the faculty of medicine and vice-president of health at the University of British Columbia.