Table 1 Values expressed or advanced by data sharing in epidemics and pandemics

Equity and health justice

Sharing data is necessary to determine how infectious diseases affect different populations and social groups and how the epidemic or pandemic is exacerbating inequities

Research

[15, 16]

Reciprocity

Each country should do what it can to contribute through timely sharing of viruses and specimens, with the understanding that it can expect the same from the rest of the international community

Samples and viral genomic sequence data

[17, 18]

Solidarity

Data sharing and international collaboration across all scientific disciplines and between the public and private sectors reflects and addresses our common interests and shared vulnerabilities: “Individual researchers should see their work not simply as parallel to or concurrent with the work of others, but rather as an integral part in a greater project of preventing disease and securing human flourishing” (Langat et al. [19], p. 9). It is part of a global project of protecting human health and promoting human well-being

Research

[19, 20]

Utility

Sharing data maximises the public good and maximises benefits by saving lives and reducing suffering

All

[17, 21, 21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,34,35,36,37,38,39,40]