Preparing for the Next Pandemic

This editorial centers on a 2023 audio interview featuring NEJM editors and global infectious disease experts as they discuss strategies for anticipating and responding to future pandemics. The conversation covers lessons from the Covid-19 era, with emphasis on the persistent threat of SARS-CoV-2, and outlines priorities including real-time surveillance, rapid diagnostics, equitable access to countermeasures, and global cooperation. It also addresses ethical dimensions of pandemic response and reaffirms the role of medical journals in disseminating timely, trustworthy information.

This editorial centers on a 2023 audio interview featuring NEJM editors and global infectious disease experts as they discuss strategies for anticipating and responding to future pandemics. The conversation covers lessons from the Covid-19 era, with emphasis on the persistent threat of SARS-CoV-2, and outlines priorities including real-time surveillance, rapid diagnostics, equitable access to countermeasures, and global cooperation. It also addresses ethical dimensions of pandemic response and reaffirms the role of medical journals in disseminating timely, trustworthy information.