European Biomedical Research Infrastructures and the Fight against COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

The study aims to assess the role of EU biomedical research infrastructures in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and to analyze their response to the challenges associated with the spread of the new pathogen. Materials and Methods. We analyzed the materials of the Seventh Framework Program for Research and Technological Development (FP7, 2007–2013) of the EU and the Eighth Framework Program “Horizon 2020” (FP8, 2014–2020), official reports of the European Strategic Forum on Research Infrastructures, expert reports, as well as documents of the European Commission, the COVID-19 Data Portal, and other relevant sources of information. Results. The analysis revealed that the mechanisms created within the united European research community provided for a flexible response to the emerging threat of COVID-19 as soon as January–May 2020. In particular, information channels were established to timely analyze the research results and coordinate the efforts in the fight against COVID-19. The biomedical infrastructures created in the EU and proved successful earlier have now been mobilized to search for ways of preventing and treating COVID-19. These mechanisms facilitated communication and data exchange between various research institutions and thus laid the ground for new achievements in this area. Conclusion. The decisions taken to combat the COVID-19 pandemic have convincingly illustrated that the EU research infrastructures, integrated into a united ecosystem, are highly adaptable and flexible, which allows to realign priorities in a short time and to create instruments that enable scientists to respond to new challenges.