On August 5, the Government of Canada announced major steps in treating and preventing COVID-19. Teams of scientists and industry experts have been selected to form a COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force and Therapeutics Task Force to advise the Government of Canada on vaccine development and therapeutic treatment projects.

Three members of the IDIGH Program, Drs Makeda Semret, Donald Vinh and Donald Sheppard, have been selected as science advisors on the Therapeutic Task Force. The COVID-19 Therapeutics Task Force, supported by a secretariat housed at Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, is mandated to provide advice to the Government of Canada on COVID-19 therapeutics. They will assess and prioritize COVID-19 therapeutic projects seeking government support. The Therapeutics Task Force is providing expert advice to the Government on the development of COVID-19 treatments, including how best to prioritize financial support for promising COVID-19 treatment projects. The Task Force includes experts drawn from research and industry who have a proven ability to develop and bring new therapies to market in Canada.

For more information on the Therapeutics Task Force click here. For the announcement click here.