Overview

• The World Health Assembly formally adopted the WHO Pandemic Agreement on May 20, 2025, following unanimous committee approval the previous day.
• The treaty focuses on enhancing global coordination, surveillance, and equitable access to vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics during pandemics.
• An annex on Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) will be negotiated by May 2026, with the treaty requiring 60 ratifications to enter into force.
• The agreement explicitly safeguards national sovereignty, ensuring the WHO cannot mandate domestic measures such as lockdowns or vaccine mandates.
• The United States, which withdrew from negotiations under President Trump, is not a party to the agreement, highlighting ongoing geopolitical challenges.