WHO Pandemic Agreement:
The World Health Assembly formally adopted the WHO Pandemic Agreement, a global legal treaty to improve preparedness for future pandemics.
- A legally binding international treaty under Article 19 of the WHO Constitution — only the second such treaty after the 2003 Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.
- Aim is to ensure equitable access to vaccines, diagnostics, and therapeutics, and build a coordinated global response mechanism during future pandemics.
- Becomes enforceable once 60 countries ratify
- Countries retain sovereignty over domestic health decisions and WHO cannot mandate laws or restrictions.
- Members Involved: Adopted by 124 countries, with 11 abstentions. The US withdrew from negotiations following policy shifts under President Trump.
Features of the WHO Pandemic Treaty:
- Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing (PABS): countries must share pathogen samples and genome data; in return, pharma companies must provide: 10% of vaccine output free to WHO, 10% at affordable prices to low-income countries.’
- Technology Transfer & Capacity Building: Encourages knowledge-sharing and tech transfer to enable local production of vaccines and treatments in developing nations.
- Equity-Based Distribution Framework: Prioritises public health risk over geopolitics in vaccine allocation. Prevents vaccine hoarding and promotes transparent supply chains.
- Global Supply Chain & Financing Mechanism: Calls for a Coordinated Financial Mechanism and a Global Supply Chain and Logistics Network (GSCL) for emergency response. Ensures countries in crisis receive timely access to life-saving resources.
- National Health Policy Alignment: Countries must develop frameworks to guarantee access to pandemic-related innovations derived from public funding.
- One Health Approach: Emphasises interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health, promoting early detection and prevention of zoonotic diseases.
