Responsibilities
ESACs provide advice on commercially oriented insecticide-based products, for public health use and on new product classes in vector control. They evaluate all project outputs against specific, objective criteria. The four main indicators are:
- Will the products be effective in reducing vector borne disease transmission and where do they fit into disease control programmes?
- Will the product be bought for, purchased or accepted by disease endemic countries in the developing world to help them reduce disease transmission?
- Is there a credible regulatory pathway for the products and do they meet regulatory safety criteria?
- Can the products be economically produced in a format that meets regulatory standards of quality and facilitates global access to this technology in disease endemic countries?
Zika ESAC (ESAC 5)
ESAC 5 was convened to provide expert scientific, technical, regulatory and commercial advice to the Zika Grand Challenges Projects. The Committee has met twice a year since the projects’ inception. Initially, ESAC 5 were involved in establishing the Target Product Profiles (TPPs) for each project, together with the Principal Investigators. At ESAC 5 meetings, each project’s progress towards achieving the TPP was discussed between the project and ESAC 5, and guidance given.
Where relevant, ESAC 5 have arranged for extra support from consultants, especially on regulatory, toxicology and economic/commercial aspects. ESAC 5 have also suggested and established introductions to potential commercial partners.