Bill Gates / Image: EPA
The World Health Organization estimates that between 290,000 and 650,000 people die each year from seasonal influenza, but good news may be on the horizon. According to an April 27th Futurism article, Bill Gates and Larry Page are seeking a “game changing, universal solution” to defeat pandemic and seasonal influenza, and they’re putting their money where their mouths are.
The tech billionaires have come together to launch the Universal Influenza Vaccine Development Grand Challenge, a contest that promises to fund promising proposals for a universal flu vaccine. But there are stipulations: the vaccine must be universal, and ready for clinical trials by 2021.
