Experts give priority to vaccine development
The first year's budget in the for "Control of Infectious Diseases" should be used for vaccine development, according to the expert advisory group (EAG) evaluating the content and directions of this Key Action within the "Quality of Life and Management of Living Resources" specific programme of the Fifth Framework Programme (FP5) for Research, Technological Development and Demonstration (RTD). The group reports that the problem-solving approach of the Key Action is illustrated by an integrated approach towards addressing human and animal health and through a strong emphasis on the prevention of infectious diseases through vaccination and prevention of transmission. The EAG believes that vaccine research in particular, as well as therapeutic strategies, will benefit from the project clusters, which are to be set up in the implementation of the Key Action. These clusters will address different aspects and dimensions of an overall problem formulated for the cluster. According to the EAG, the Key Action identifies a suitable set of deliverables through prevention by focused vaccine development and treatment, and treatment, diagnosis and prevention through non-vaccine measures, as well as research on public health aspects. The Group also says that the Key Action successfully identifies specific issues where urgent action is needed in order to be built upon in later calls. It accepts that the first year's budget should be used for vaccine development and the second year's for the remaining areas of the Key Action to control the potential problem of over-subscription. This would also allow major efforts to be concentrated and launched in the respective areas at an early stage, says the EAG. In later years, it says, all areas should be open simultaneously to facilitate project formation across several areas and integration of different sectors which will be of higher priority after the major clusters are launched late in the year. The EAG foresees close interaction with the "Cell Factory" Key Action, also run under the 'Quality of Life' programme. The EAG also outlines the areas it advises as priorities for the 1999 call for proposals. The full report can be downloaded from the Web at: URL: http://europa.eu.int/comm/dg12/fp5/eag.html(opens in new window)