Frontiers in Science published a Policy Outlook titled Investing in sepsis science for future pandemic preparedness, authored by Dr. Mariam Jashi and Prof. Niranjan ‘Tex’ Kissoon on behalf of the Global Sepsis Alliance.

 In this Policy Outlook, Prof. Kissoon and Dr. Jashi reflect on the lead publication by Prof. Robert E.W. Hancock and his colleagues, Deciphering sepsis: transforming diagnosis and treatment through systems immunology published by the Frontiers on January 30, 2025.  

The CEO and the President of the Global Sepsis Alliance reiterate the critical importance and urgency of investing in the Sepsis Science, particularly in systems immunology and precision medicine, to enhance preparedness and response to future disease outbreaks and pandemics, regardless of the primary pathogen.

 Given the alarmingly high incidence and mortality rates of sepsis during pandemics, and building on the 2017 World Health Assembly Resolution and the 2030 Global Agenda for Sepsis

Dr. Jashi and Prof. Kissoon urge UN Member States, WHO and stakeholders from the public, private, academic, and civil society sectors to prioritize Sepsis research and development (R&D) at national, regional and global levels.

The authors argue that “to address the complex immune pathophysiology of sepsis, global health authorities should prioritize systems immunology and precision medicine research to enhance early sepsis detection and pathogen-agnostic, individualized treatment. New, effective immune diagnostics and therapeutics could significantly improve survival rates among sepsis patients, regardless of the nature of the pandemic pathogen”.

The GSA leaders underscore the importance of sepsis immunology research for pandemic preparedness, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) that bear 85% of the global sepsis burden and face significant resource constraints within their healthcare systems. Dr. Jashi and Prof. Kissoon call for financial support and subsidies through the Pandemic Fund or other multilateral mechanisms, to bridge the existing disparities, strengthen sepsis management capacities and avert future pandemic related deaths in LMICs.

To explore the full content of the Policy Outlook, please visit Policy Labs - Policy Outlook

The Global Sepsis Alliance is delighted to join the upcoming CUGH 2025 pre-conference workshop, represented by President Niranjan "Tex" Kissoon, who will participate the expert panel discussion on medical oxygen access.

Register for the upcoming pre-conference workshop: Every Breath Counts: Reducing Global Inequities in Medical Oxygen Access

The Lancet Global Health Commission on Medical Oxygen Security launched on February 18, 2025, providing the world’s first estimates of the wide gaps in access to medical oxygen that are elevating mortality and undermining pandemic preparedness efforts in most countries.

This in-person pre-conference workshop at CUGH 2025, organized by Leith Greenslade, Coordinator of the Every Breath Counts Coalition, will present the major findings of the Commission and outline what different stakeholders—including governments, industry, global health agencies, academic institutions, and civil society—can do to implement its recommendations.

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Workshop Details

• Date: February 20, 2025

• Time: 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM EST

• Location: Second Level, Room 218, Hilton Atlanta, 255 Courtland Street, NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30303

The session will feature presentations on the Commission’s findings, a patient testimonial on oxygen access challenges, and a panel discussion with key experts.

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On this International Day of Women and Girls in Science, we celebrate the incredible women driving progress in sepsis research, advocacy, and care—especially the ones on the Global Sepsis Alliance board. We are honored to have exceptional women leaders amongst our executives who contribute significantly to sepsis research, policy, and education. Their dedication shapes the global fight against sepsis and paves the way for future generations of women in science and healthcare.

We asked some of our board members to share their thoughts on the importance of women in science—here’s what they had to say:

Dr. Alison Fox-Robichaud reflects on the legacy and impact of women in science:

"Women scientists have led the way in critical areas, including Nobel Laureates such as Marie Curie and her daughter Irene, through women like Gerty Cori, Rosalyn Yalow, and Barbara McClintock, to name a few.

As I reflect on my more than 35-year journey studying sepsis, I think about the challenges these and other women have overcome to be recognized as leaders in their field of interest. I have met so many amazing women scientists working in our field, from those improving our understanding of sepsis pathogenesis to those studying epidemiology, leading clinical trials, and tackling policy barriers. Persistence, perseverance, and a focus on the end goal are the qualities that drive us."

Halima Salisu Kabara shares her experience and vision for women in science and healthcare:

"I have been involved in the fight against sepsis and now AMR in Nigeria and Africa in general for decades. As a woman in science and the medical field, I am a researcher and a member of the Federated Platform (Colloquium) and several Working Groups.

I have taken it as my responsibility to create awareness and sensitize healthcare professionals on the importance of Infection Prevention and Control to prevent sepsis and AMR. Antibiotic and antimicrobial resistance cannot be allowed to become the next 'tsunami'!

About 80% of sepsis deaths are preventable. For every hour treatment is delayed, the risk of death increases by as much as 8%. Therefore, educating the public about sepsis is paramount to saving lives—being empowered with the correct information to note the signs and seek care immediately.

Women are the pillars of their families and communities. They serve as the life-givers, mothers, peacemakers, entrepreneurs, and providers of care for children and the elderly. It is crucial that we protect and promote the health of women—with a focus on quality, affordability, and equity—for the well-being and development of both current and future generations.

Therefore, more girls and women—the next generation—must be motivated to enter science and the medical field."

A huge thank you to Louise Thwaites (Vietnam), Daniela Souza (Brazil), Halima Salisu Kabara (Nigeria), Imrana Malik (United States), Ulrika Knutsson (Sweden), Alison Fox-Robichaud (Canada), and Maha Aljuaid (Saudi Arabia) for their invaluable contributions to science and healthcare.

Learn more about our board members on the GSA Board Page

More women in science means advancing sepsis research, better healthcare systems, and healthier communities. Today, we honor the past, present, and future of women driving change in the fight against sepsis.

Dr. Mariam Jashi is urging the World Health Organization (WHO) Executive Board and governments worldwide to prioritize sepsis in Universal Health Coverage (UHC) packages, as well as in preparedness and response plans for future pandemics and other health emergencies.

Dr. Jashi, CEO of the Global Sepsis Alliance (GSA), is currently attending the 156th Session of the WHO Executive Board in Geneva as the Secretary-General of the Medical Women’s International Association (MWIA). She expresses her deepest gratitude to the MWIA leadership for the opportunity to advocate for sepsis within the strategic partnership between the two organizations.

On February 4, Dr. Jashi addressed the WHO Executive Board, expressing concern that despite significant progress, 2 billion people are still driven into poverty each year due to catastrophic health expenditures. She called on national governments to prioritize increased political investments in UHC, with a special focus on providing financial protection to the most vulnerable populations.

Dr. Jashi also urged WHO Member States to integrate sepsis into national UHC packages, aligning with the 2030 Global Agenda for Sepsis, launched by the Global Sepsis Alliance at the German Parliament. She emphasized that the global community will not be able to achieve UHC goals without addressing sepsis – a leading cause of death, responsible for at least 11 million fatalities annually, and accounting for 2.6% of healthcare budgets worldwide.

Dr. Jashi concluded her statement by recalling the words of WHO Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who said, “Nobody should die from Sepsis.”

On February 6, Dr. Jashi delivered a second statement, highlighting the urgency of integrating sepsis into emergency preparedness and response plans, including the ongoing negotiations of the Pandemic Accord.

In this statement, Dr. Jashi began by paying tribute to the dedication and sacrifices of WHO staff and healthcare professionals who responded to 45 health emergencies in 2024 alone.

She also stressed that civilians, healthcare workers, and peacekeeping forces are at heightened risk of infections and sepsis during armed conflicts, disease outbreaks, climate crises, and displacement. Specifically, Dr. Jashi noted that 78% of COVID-19 patients in intensive care units had sepsis, and that every future pandemic will increase the risk of this medical emergency. 

The European Sepsis Alliance is excited to announce its 8th Annual Meeting, that will take place at the European Parliament on 19 March 2025 from 14:30 to 16:30, under the distinguished patronage of MEP, former Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, and ESA Patron, Vytenis Andriukaitis. This year's meeting promises to be a significant occasion for discussing the urgency to include sepsis policies within the broader EU health policy context.

Following the developments and successes in global sepsis advocacy, the objective of this year's event is to engage European policymakers and stakeholders in understanding the intersection of sepsis with existing health threats and frameworks, such as Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) and pandemic preparedness strategies, the agenda of the European Health Emergency Response Authority (HERA), health management in conflict zones, to name a few. The meeting will delve into how sepsis preparedness is vital to enhance the overall public health strategy of the EU. A new European Parliament and a newly appointed European Commission provide a unique context to create the synergies needed.

Participants will have the opportunity to share best practices, engage in collaborative discussions, and propose concrete solutions that can be implemented at both national and EU levels. Your insights and experiences are invaluable to developing a cohesive approach to policy integration.

The ESA invites all members and stakeholders to mark the calendar for this important gathering and contribute to shaping the future of sepsis policy in Europe. Your participation is essential in advancing the dialogue on sepsis within the European health policy framework.

Register via the form available on the ESA website and indicate whether you will attend in person at the European Parliament or follow the livestream.

I am Dulce from Mexico. I am 32 years old. I was a very healthy, athletic person who always took care of my health. 

I am a psychologist and writer, and I want to raise awareness about sepsis in Mexico.

I had been having stomach pain and occasional nausea for about 8 months, accompanied by a lot of shaking and coldness in my body and stomach. The doctor said it was gastritis, but the standard gastritis treatments didn't work. I left Mexico for 3 months to visit family, so I didn't treat that discomfort any further. I returned to Mexico because I was going to Turkey, but I still had the symptoms. 

Four days before leaving for Turkey, on February 17, 2024, I had an endoscopy, and my stomach appeared fine. But just hours after the study, I started to feel a lot of chills, vomiting, and shaking. I felt like I was going to die. I was very confused, had a fever of 40° Celsius and a blood pressure of 60/20 and I couldn't breathe. I was sitting on the floor enduring the symptoms because the doctor who did the endoscopy said it was a panic attack, but in reality, I was already in septic shock. I lost my sight and strength at that moment and passed out. 

My dad and sister were with me, they quickly picked me up and took me to the hospital. I was lucky enough to be diagnosed immediately with sepsis because my leukocytes were a thousand times above the normal limit, my oxygen was very low, my blood pressure was terribly low, I suffered terrible dehydration due to the fever and dangerous blood clots roamed around my body. However, the doctors could not discover the cause of the sepsis. They destroyed my veins because of the many tests they did to diagnose bacteria, viruses, and fungi but there were no signs of a source of the infection, and my body was collapsing. My body was filled with clots, my lungs were filling with water, the fever wouldn’t go down despite the medication and my heart developed a mitral valve prolapse. On the third day, I was getting pneumonitis and pulmonary atelectasis.

They treated me with antibiotics and serum. When I got better from sepsis and my tests were better, they sent me home, but I still felt terrible and could not eat. Since the doctors couldn't find a cause, they said that the stomach pains and nausea were a psychosomatic thing.

I went home, but I couldn't eat. Therefore, I was admitted again to the hospital to be fed intravenously. I could not eat anything, I was already malnourished and weighed only 88 pounds, but they did not find a cause nor give me a solution to my problem. When I was no longer anemic, they sent me home again, but I still felt terrible. We had to hire a nurse to give me medication at home and to somewhat control and bear the symptoms. Effectively, I was dying at home. 

My sister found another doctor and I went to him. He admitted me again to the hospital and he finally found the cause of the sepsis, an infection of the pancreas (pancreatitis) caused by the gallbladder, which he removed. With the cause removed, my pancreas slowly recovered.

My life changed completely after this experience. I fight every day to be the person I was before, I was left with physical and psychological after-effects like post-traumatic stress disorder, panic attacks every day, insomnia, waking up in the middle of the night, I have episodes of terror, I developed a terrible fear of any type of diseases, I am still undergoing treatment for my lungs for my obstructive pulmonary disease. I get tired easily, and I get dizzy, among other ailments.

After 4 months I am still visiting doctors and I am waiting for studies to verify that my immune system is functioning well.

I want people to be aware of their health. Here in Mexico, it is very common for people not to take infections seriously. They do not investigate diseases in depth, much less take care of themselves to avoid getting sick. Most people in Mexico have the idea they will heal themselves and thus avoid going to the doctor or taking the correct medicines.

The doctors said that if I had taken a few more minutes to get to the hospital, I would have died.

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The article above was written by Dulce Vizcaino and is shared with her explicit consent. The views in the article do not necessarily represent those of the Global Sepsis Alliance. They are not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. The whole team here at the Global Sepsis Alliance and World Sepsis Day wishes to thank Dulce for sharing her story and for fighting to raise awareness for sepsis.

On January 14, 2025, at 17:00 CET, join Dr. Ron Daniels, Vice President of the Global Sepsis Alliance (GSA), Dr. Mariam Jashi, CEO of the GSA, Ephraim Tsalik of Danaher Diagnostics, and Sonia Nicholas as moderator for an exclusive live forum hosted by SelectScience®. This roundtable will cover key issues such as the Global Agenda for Sepsis and the broader challenge of sepsis diagnostics, including early detection, pathogen identification, and the integration of diagnostic tools in clinical practice. It's an essential session for laboratory professionals, clinicians, and point-of-care specialists.

Participants can also receive a certificate of attendance for continuing education.

We are thrilled to share the news from our friends at End Sepsis. On December 13, 2024, the White House hosted its first-ever sepsis-focused event, marking a milestone in the fight against this global health threat. This is a victory for sepsis advocates and a significant step toward reducing the 350,000 sepsis-related deaths in the United States every year and addressing the life-changing disabilities that sepsis survivors endure.

This historic event at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy aimed at convening the public and private sector action on early detection and treatment of sepsis.

The event brought together health leaders, advocates, and sepsis experts, it was prompted by the release of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s Report to Congress, which provides an in-depth assessment of the sepsis burden in the United States. This report, which END SEPSIS helped advocate for, aims to quantify the toll of sepsis on the healthcare system, economy, and population.

Orlaith Staunton, Founder and Executive Director of END SEPSIS, delivered the opening remarks on behalf of patients and families, emphasizing the need for continued advocacy and action. END SEPSIS, has been instrumental in driving a comprehensive federal response to sepsis.

“This Event is a major victory for the sepsis families who have campaigned to have the White House become more proactive on an issue that kills 350,000 Americans annually. We have intensely lobbied the current and past two administrations to do this; we are gratified that our hard work has finally borne fruit,” said Ciaran Staunton, Co-Founder of END SEPSIS and father of Rory Staunton, who died from undiagnosed, untreated sepsis at age 12.

Among the topics discussed were Rory’s Regulations in New York, the first mandatory sepsis protocol in the United States, which has saved over 16,000 lives since its implementation in 2013. These protocols are named in honor of Rory Staunton, whose untimely death was the catalyst for this groundbreaking initiative.

This event underscores our collective mission to raise awareness, improve early diagnosis, and enhance treatment for sepsis. As we continue to fight together against sepsis, we celebrate this achievement and reaffirm our commitment to reducing the global burden of sepsis.

Join us in our mission to fight sepsis, educate the public, and save lives. Together, we can ensure that sepsis is universally recognized as a medical emergency and that patients receive the timely, life-saving care they need.

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About Sepsis

Sepsis is a global health crisis affecting 47 to 50 million people every year and causing at least 11 million deaths worldwide—one death every 2.8 seconds. The mortality rate varies between 15% and more than 50% depending on the country, and many survivors face lifelong consequences. In the United States alone, sepsis kills 350,000 Americans annually, underscoring the need for urgent action.