Committees

Knowledge of Zika virus explored

4 February 2016

The Science and Technology Committee holds a one-off evidence session on the Zika virus, examining the state of knowledge on the link with babies born with microcephaly and the increased incidence of Guillain-Barre syndrome.

Witnesses

Wednesday 10 February 2016, Wilson Room, Portcullis House.

At 10.30 am

  • Dr Alain Kohl, MRC Programme Leader, University of Glasgow
  • Dr Dilys Morgan, Head, Gastrointestinal, Emerging and Zoonotic Infections Department, Public Health England
  • Graeme Tunbridge, Deputy Director, Emergency Preparedness, Resilience and Response, Department of Health
  • Professor Peter Horby, Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, University of Oxford

Purpose of the session

The session examines the state of knowledge on the link with babies born with microcephaly and the increased incidence of Guillain-Barre syndrome.

The Committee also examines what monitoring and research have been done on the Zika virus, and the scientific advice being presented to the UK Government and the public.

The Science and Technology Committee recently published a report on the UK lessons from Ebola, and the Committee explores the extent of read-across of the issues to Zika.

Further Information

Image: iStockphoto