The EUCLID faculty team is continuing to monitor the ongoing developments of the microcephaly situation which is the cause of the current concern with the spread and evolution of the Zika virus.
After a time of intense research as well as understandable hesitation, the US Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization have stated that there is sufficient evidence of a causal link between Zika and microcephaly.
The EUCLID faculty team has taken note of this statement and is continuing to research the possible evolution or mutation of the Zika virus in as much as the virus previously and historically known as Sica was not causally associated with microcephaly. EUCLID is also carefully reviewing and evaluating various alternative theories that have been communicated to its faculty group.
As an institution, EUCLID is concerned about the effect of the situation including the economic consequences on some of its participating states, notably St. Vincent and the Grenadines. There also significant bioethical and political considerations associated with the current situation, such as the controversial recommendation to postpone pregnancy or to profoundly change abortion laws in affected areas as a response to this public health situation.
The Secretariat of the EUCLID school of Global Health and Bioethics welcomes communications and research papers related to the microcephaly and Zika outbreak.
