In 2020, COVID-19 caught the world by surprise—this should not have been the case. The pandemic revealed significant gaps in early warning capabilities to detect and respond to emerging pathogens before they cause global harm. Given the current situation, how can we leverage existing systems and emerging technologies to better characterize the various risk factors that could signal the next pandemic?

The current global infrastructure suffers from deep fragmentation, lack of coordination and collaboration, a need for sophisticated knowledge management, and virtually no sustained governmental and organizational commitment. This report from FasterCures, 'A Global Early Warning System for Pandemics: Mobilizing Surveillance for Emerging Pathogens', seeks to catalyze momentum and lay the framework for mobilizing a more rapid and nimble early warning system with robust global coordination.

We outline principles to help guide decision-making, highlight key considerations for success, and offer initial steps and immediate actions for realizing such a coordinated global system.