ISARIC 3.0: Strengthening the global clinical research ecosystem for epidemic and pandemic prevention and preparedness

The International Severe Acute Respiratory and emerging Infection Consortium (ISARIC) is a global federation of clinical research networks established in 2011. The purpose of ISARIC is to prevent illness and deaths from outbreak-prone infectious diseases. This is achieved by conducting clinical research to improve patients’ care and facilitating a globally coordinated and agile research response to infectious disease threats. ISARIC’s work programme for 2024-2029 is organised into 3 complementary platforms: clinical research, interoperability and acceleration, and capacity sharing and quality improvement. Ongoing clinical research will focus on acute respiratory infections, henipavirus disease, filovirus disease, and dengue. Through these clinical research programmes, a series of innovations will be pursued in data sciences, clinical trial designs, and research management. This ambitious work programme will generate clinically meaningful research evidence on the diseases of initial focus, whilst substantially improving clinical research readiness for emerging infectious disease threats through increased collaboration, improved interoperability, enhanced agility, and strengthened capabilities. The centre of gravity of the work will be low- and middle-income countries, and the capacity sharing and quality improvement platform will seek to empower local research leaders. Changes to ISARIC’s governance will support ISARIC’s goal to devolve responsibilities to ISARIC Hubs and enhance stakeholder engagement.