Hearing held on Zika virus countermeasures, diagnostic advancements

The Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held a hearing on Wednesday about the continuing danger posed by Zika virus to the Americas and plans to respond to the virus both nationally and internationally.

Zika virus is primarily spread through the bite of an infected mosquito. Such mosquitoes can also carry yellow fever, dengue fever and chikungunya virus. To date, no vaccines or treatments are in advanced development against the virus, though President Barack Obama asked Congress on Feb. 8 for $1.8 billion in emergency funding to prepare for and respond to the virus. The president’s request also includes resources for Zika-related vaccine research and diagnostic tests.

“While the administration’s request has worthy aims, its one-off emergency funding approach, like the $6 billion for Ebola emergency funding, demonstrates a reactionary posture towards public health preparedness rather than a strategic one,” Subcommittee Chairman Tim Murphy (R-PA) said. “On February 12, this subcommittee held a hearing examining the federal government’s preparedness for biological threats, focused on the findings of the Blue Ribbon Study Panel on Biodefense. The panel concluded that the federal government is ill-prepared to handle future biological threats – an alarming conclusion because, since 2002, infectious disease outbreaks, epidemics, and pandemics have emerged with increasing frequency. Zika is just the latest example of this trend.”

Emerging and re-emerging threats serve as ongoing challenges, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) at the National Institute of Health Anthony Fauci told the hearing. Fauci added that the ability for such microbial pathogens to rapidly evolve and adapt to new ecological niches made the fight much harder, but NIAID is continuing to evaluate vaccine candidates.

“A safe and effective Zika vaccine would be very valuable tool to help stop the spread of infection and prevent future outbreaks,” Fauci said. “NIAID is investigating multiple virus vaccines candidates, including vaccines based on technologies that have shown promise in targeting other flaviviruses”.

To expedite the process of creating a diagnostic test for Zika, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has reached out to potential diagnostic manufacturers to encourage them in the development of such tools.

“[The] FDA is fully prepared to leverage its authorities to the fullest extent practicable to help accelerate the development and availability of safe and effective products with the potential to help mitigate the Zika virus outbreak as quickly as the science will allow,” Luciano Borio, assistant commissioner of counterterrorism policy at the FDA, told the hearing. “As we did during the Ebola epidemic, we will do all we can to facilitate access to investigational vaccines through appropriate clinical trials, as quickly and safely as possible.”

Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response at the Department of Health and Human Services Nicole Lurie told the hearing that the recent Ebola response is serving as a roadmap to responding to Zika.

“An important lesson learned from the Ebola epidemic is the need for flexible funding stream that can adapt to whatever crisis comes our way,” Lurie said, warning that “it is clear that funding for work on the development of vaccines and diagnostics, including blood and tissue donor screening tests, and to rapidly improve scientific understanding of the disease is required.”