VBS Delphi Protocol

Protocol and Preliminary results Objectives The need to have a systematic, organized forum for access to specimens for research and diagnostics was deemed a high priority with the re-emergence of Zika virus, the novel coronavirus, and new influenza strains. We propose a virtual biorepository system (VBS) to bring together communities and samples to overcome complex challenges and increase inclusion and equity for the public good. Our aim is to allow for the contribution, sharing, and access of specimens in a fair manner. This research will explore consensus through the Delphi process and find what stakeholders perceive as the prioritized actions, tools, and responsibilities needed to enable and implement a functional VBS. Methods and Analysis Our plan is to survey stakeholders using an online Delphi to develop a prioritized list of action items to aid in building a VBS to support other concurrent repository/collection efforts, in particular to align with the WHO BioHub. This protocol will recruit respondents through a snowballing technique. Delphi questions will be framed by building upon participatory action inputs from workshops, other concurrent collection efforts, and ongoing discussions to incorporate best practices and capture potential gaps and respondent preferences. We will make use of descriptive statistics. Items are included only if they are prioritized by >70% and < 15% of respondents. We will employ a participatory action research approach to analyze the qualitative materials and reframe unclear questions for successive Delphi rounds.