Dr. Rafael Cantón, a renowned expert in Clinical Microbiology, discusses the imperative need for continuous preparation and protocol development in public health emergencies, even in the absence of immediate crises like SARS-CoV-2. He emphasises the importance of strengthening primary care, hospital systems, professional training, and information infrastructure to fortify our response mechanisms. Additionally, Dr. Cantón evaluates the potential impact of the newly established European Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA) and anticipates challenges posed by climate change in disease emergence. He delves into the pressing issues of antimicrobial resistance, the role of AI in disease prevention and diagnosis, the promise of mRNA vaccines, and emerging technologies in infectious disease management.
Key Concepts:
- Continuous preparedness in public health beyond acute emergencies like COVID-19
- Strengthening primary care, hospital systems, and professional training
- The role of HERA in enhancing European health surveillance and coordination
- Climate change implications for disease emergence and transmission
- Challenges in antimicrobial resistance and the One Health perspective
- AI’s potential in syndromic diagnosis and response optimisation
- The transformative impact of mRNA vaccines on future vaccine development
- Promising diagnostic and therapeutic technologies in infectious diseases
Read the full interview here:
How do you think collaborative efforts between scientific communities, policymakers, and the public can be optimised to address the multifaceted challenges highlighted by Dr. Cantón in global health security?