UKHSA Publishes First Priority Pathogens List to Guide Pandemic Preparedness

The list identifies 24 pathogen families, focusing on gaps in diagnostics, vaccines, and treatments while addressing climate change and global health risks.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has released a list of 24 pathogen families posing significant public health risks, including Coronaviridae, Orthomyxoviridae, and Filoviridae.
The list serves as a tool to prioritize research funding and accelerate the development of vaccines, diagnostics, and treatments for high-risk pathogens.
Pathogens were assessed based on factors such as disease severity, transmission routes, climate change sensitivity, and antimicrobial resistance.
The initiative reflects lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic, emphasizing the need for broader threat assessments and flexible responses to emerging risks.
This effort is part of the UK government’s Biological Security Strategy and will be updated regularly to address evolving biological threats.