The prepared code: A values-driven approach to pandemic preparedness

The prepared code: A values-driven approach to pandemic preparedness Corinna Pannofino, Research Communications Manager at Trilateral Research, introduces a new framework for ethical research that was launched to prepare for the next pandemic, restoring public trust and ensuring scientific integrity. On 3rd June 2025, at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris, a new framework for research ethics was launched: the PREPARED Code – A Global Code of Conduct for Research During Pandemics. Five years ago, the World Health Organization officially declared COVID-19 a pandemic, an event that reshaped our world. It claimed millions of lives, upended economies, strained international relations, and eroded public trust in science and healthcare systems. While science raced to the rescue with unprecedented speed, developing life-saving vaccines, it was clear that the scientific community wasn’t fully prepared.