Aims & Objectives

What is PREPARE?

The NERC Knowledge Transfer Initiative, Pharmaceutical Release into the Environment during Pandemics and Regional Epidemics (PREPARE) was awarded funding by NERC (NE/F009216/1) for 4 years starting in 2008.

What will PREPARE do?

PREPARE will provide a foundation of scientific understanding of the fate and effect of widespread pharmaceutical use during a pandemic and epidemic and a multi-disciplinary network of members capable of responding and adapting to not only an influenza pandemic, but the likely emergence of other epidemics and pandemics in our immediate future. Following the declaration by the World Health Organisation in 2009 that the world is in a pandemic phase as a result of the spread of the H1N1 virus, there is a need to ensure existing preparedness plans have considered the foreseeable risks and adapted policy accordingly. The potential impact of doing nothing could be as unprecedented as the pandemic itself.

How will PREPARE achieve these goals?

The PREPARE Initiative will form a community of experts, assisting in the sharing of relevant knowledge and in the identification of knowledge gaps and research priorities. By bringing together industry and the research community, it is anticipated that the Initiative partners will contribute to a holistic scientific understanding of the problems faced by widespread pharmaceutical use during a pandemic. The partners will be well placed to aid in the development of new technologies that are appropriate for minimising the recognised risks, e.g., technologies that assist in the biological and/or chemical removal of pharmaceuticals.

Who coordinates PREPARE?

The PREPARE Initiative is led by the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology in collaboration with the University of Oxford.

Who are the existing partners and who has expressed an interest in the outputs of PREPARE? The Environment Agency and the Department of Health have expressed an interest in participating in and considering the outputs of the Initiative.  The NGO Health Care Without Harm (HCWH) has also demonstrated great interest in the outputs of PREPARE. A number of pharmaceutical companies have participated in PREPARE workshops and are interested in the implications of this network for environmental and human health. The wastewater treatment companies have played an important role in each of the two workshops and continue to provide a focus for discussion.

Who is invited to join PREPARE?

Professional groupings expected to participate include virology, pharmacology, ecotoxicology, hydrology, analytical chemistry, waste water engineering, public health management.

How will PREPARE gather and disseminate information?

Workshops will be held after which there will be a ‘Perspectives’ article to be submitted for peer review and publication. Additional publications will be submitted to trade publications. The website will play an integral role in bringing together all the stakeholders and facilitating interaction with other stakeholders as well as provide a mechanism for those seeking information to be rapidly guided to the best policy or scientific resource. The website will offer careful interpretation for knowledge users, provide a mechanism for announcements and information regarding the Initiative.