The world needs to step up clinical trials to deal with COVID-19-WHO

The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) on Thursday called on countries to provide resources that could accelerate products that could help prevent coronavirus epidemics.

The WHO's Act Accelerator program already supports research into possible vaccines, drugs and diagnostics, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told an online program.

"But we need to rapidly increase our capacity for clinical trials, manufacturing, licensing and regulation so that these products can reach people and start saving lives," he said.