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WHO Finalizes Historic Pandemic Agreement After Three Years of Negotiations

The draft treaty outlines measures for global pandemic readiness, emphasizing equity, technology sharing, and national sovereignty, and awaits final approval in May.

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MD Nicholas Flores, left, helps to remove a plastic protective box that Dr. Bob Canelli, right, used to help perform a tracheostomy on a COVID-19 patient on the ICU floor at Boston Medical Center in Boston on April 30, 2020. Medical staff at BMC have had to adjust the way that they work and protect themselves in light of the coronavirus pandemic that has shook the country. (Photo by Erin Clark/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
W.H.O. readies a pandemic treaty for the future
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Overview

  • WHO member states have finalized a draft pandemic treaty aimed at strengthening global prevention, preparedness, and response to future health crises.
  • The agreement includes a Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing System (PABS) to ensure equitable access to vaccines, treatments, and tests derived from shared pathogen data.
  • Technology transfer provisions were a key sticking point, with the treaty settling on transfers being conducted on mutually agreed terms rather than mandatory requirements.
  • The treaty reaffirms national sovereignty, ensuring WHO cannot mandate policies such as lockdowns or vaccination requirements within member states.
  • The finalized draft will be presented for approval at the WHO Annual Assembly in May 2025, marking a significant step in global health collaboration despite U.S. non-participation.