LAUSR

We thank authors Gobat, Butler, Webb and Nichol for their thoughtful and practical suggestions to advance our ability to perform practiceinforming research in the context of outbreaks and pandemics. We too have been encouraged by the progress made with the Platform foR European Preparedness Against Re-emerging Epidemics (PREPARE) initiative a model for well-resourced health care systems to consider in preparing for the certainty of uncertain emerging infectious threats. While focused upon European preparedness, one additional promising aspect of PREPARE, is the provision to assist in addressing threats wherever they emerge. Novel viral pathogens often arise at the human-animal interface. Avian influenza, Ebola virus, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronaviruses are but a few recent examples. While no region is protected, this interface frequently occurs in lowand middle-income countries, where preparedness funding and activities by necessity come after everyday urgent population and individual healthcare needs. We must encourage proactive humanitarian research preparedness from global regions with the luxury of this capacity. One such example is the freely available World Health Organization – International Severe Acute Respiratory & Emerging Infection Consortium (ISARIC) clinical characterization protocol [1], developed to provide clinicians and researchers with a case