Economic motives may be behind statements on Disease X's threat - Russia's consumer health watchdog

MOSCOW. Jan 15 (Interfax) - Russia has all capabilities needed to counter biological threats, including Disease X, and could respond to the threats in a timely and appropriate manner, Russia's consumer health watchdog Rospotrebnadzor said on Sunday.

"Russia in turn has all the potential needed to counter biological threats of any nature, including Disease X and respond to them in a timely and appropriate manner," the Rospotrebnadzor press service told reporters, commenting on the upcoming World Economic Forum agenda in Davos, whose one of the sessions will be devoted to Disease X.

"Resounding statements about Disease X may have not scientific, but economic motives," and the preparedness for pandemics is regularly discussed at various platforms and economic fora, the watchdog said.

Thus, a session dedicated to the Disease X discussion is announced at the upcoming forum. One of the speakers is the World Health Organization director general, pharmaceutical companies and conglomerates are expected to take part, but the attendance of international experts and epidemiological scientists is not envisioned.

"The inclusion of Disease X in the Davos agenda and the financially committed composition of the participants, which includes major pharmaceutical companies, shows that the dialogue at the session will focus on boosting investment. This is especially favorable to large pharmaceutical companies, which supposedly demonstrate their far-sighted approach to pandemic preparedness, so they discuss the issue at the World Economic Forum," it added.

The World Economic Forum plans to discuss preparations for a possible pandemic or epidemic due to Disease X, which could result in 20 times more deaths than coronavirus, the forum said earlier on its website.