WHO Member States Chart Path Forward on Pandemic Agreement

WHO Member States have officially kicked off the implementation phase of the historic WHO Pandemic Agreement, marking a notable step toward a more robust global defense against future health crises. The first meeting of the Intergovernmental Working Group (IGWG) on the WHO Pandemic Agreement, held from July 9-10, formalized the next steps for bringing the landmark legal instrument to life.

Ambassador Tovar da Silva Nunes of Brazil, serving as co-chair of the IGWG Bureau, highlighted the meeting’s critical role in strengthening global pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response. This pivotal moment follows the World Health Assembly’s adoption of the WHO Pandemic Agreement on May 20, 2025.”Through the WHO Pandemic Agreement,countries recognized that global collaboration and action,based on equity,are essential for protecting people from future pandemics,” Ambassador Tovar stated. “now, through the IGWG, countries are breathing life into the agreement by establishing the way forward to implement the Agreement’s life-saving provisions.”

A key priority for the IGWG is the drafting and negotiation of an annex on Pathogen Access and Benefit sharing (PABS).This PABS system is designed to ensure safe, transparent, and accountable access to and benefit-sharing from pathogen materials and associated sequence information. The outcome of these negotiations will be presented to the Seventy-ninth World Health Assembly in 2026 for consideration.

Beyond the PABS annex, the IGWG is tasked with addressing procedural matters crucial for the upcoming Conference of the Parties to the WHO Pandemic Agreement and developing terms of reference for a Coordinating Financial Mechanism.

Mr. Matthew Harpur,co-chair of the IGWG Bureau from the United Kingdom,expressed optimism regarding the collaborative spirit demonstrated by WHO Member States. “Global collaboration is the foundation of an effective response to global threats,” Mr. Harpur commented. “I am encouraged by the commitment shown by WHO Member States during the first IGWG to work together to protect their citizens, and those of all other countries.”

During their inaugural meeting, the IGWG adopted its working methods, outlined a timeline of activities leading up to the next World Health Assembly, and established a framework for engaging stakeholders.The group also elected co-chairs and vice-chairs to guide the process and agreed to identify experts for input on the PABS annex, with a potential informal briefing scheduled before the IGWG’s second meeting.

What specific mechanisms are proposed within the agreement to ensure equitable access to vaccines adn therapeutics for low- and middle-income countries?

The Pandemic Accord: A Global Health Security Imperative

The World Health Organization (WHO) member states are actively navigating the complexities of finalizing a pandemic agreement – a legally binding instrument designed to strengthen global pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response. This initiative, spurred by the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, aims to foster international collaboration and ensure a more equitable and effective approach to future health crises. The agreement isn’t about creating new powers for the WHO, but rather establishing a framework for coordinated action and resource mobilization. Key areas of focus include equitable access to vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics, as well as strengthening health systems globally.

Key Pillars of the Proposed Agreement

The draft pandemic agreement, currently under negotiation, centers around several core principles. These are designed to address the shortcomings exposed during the recent COVID-19 pandemic and build a more resilient global health architecture.

Equitable Access & Benefit-Sharing: A central tenet is ensuring fair distribution of pandemic-related resources – vaccines, treatments, and diagnostics – particularly to low- and middle-income countries.This includes mechanisms for technology transfer and local production capacity building. The concept of “benefit-sharing” extends beyond medical countermeasures to encompass data and genomic sequencing facts.

One Health Approach: Recognizing the link between human, animal, and environmental health, the agreement emphasizes a “One health” approach. This means integrating expertise and collaboration across these sectors to prevent zoonotic spillover events – the transmission of diseases from animals to humans – which are a major source of pandemic threats.

Strengthened Surveillance & Early Warning Systems: Robust surveillance systems are crucial for early detection and rapid response. the agreement aims to enhance global surveillance networks,improve data sharing,and develop early warning mechanisms to identify and track emerging infectious diseases. This includes investment in genomic surveillance capabilities.

Financing & Resource Mobilization: Enduring financing is essential for pandemic preparedness. The agreement proposes innovative financing mechanisms to ensure adequate resources are available for research, development, manufacturing, and deployment of medical countermeasures. This also includes bolstering health system capacity in vulnerable countries.

International Collaboration & Coordination: The agreement seeks to streamline international collaboration and coordination during pandemics, clarifying roles and responsibilities of member states and the WHO.This includes establishing clear protocols for information sharing, joint investigations, and coordinated responses.

Addressing Concerns & Navigating challenges

The negotiation process hasn’t been without its challenges.Several member states have raised concerns regarding national sovereignty, intellectual property rights, and the potential for overreach by the WHO.

Sovereignty Concerns: Some nations are hesitant to cede control over their national health policies and regulations. Negotiations are focused on striking a balance between international cooperation and national autonomy.

Intellectual Property Rights: Discussions surrounding intellectual property (IP) waivers for pandemic-related technologies remain contentious. Balancing the need for equitable access with the incentives for innovation is a key challenge. The TRIPS agreement and its flexibilities are frequently referenced.

Implementation & Enforcement: Ensuring effective implementation and enforcement of the agreement will be crucial. Mechanisms for monitoring compliance and addressing violations are under discussion.

The Role of the WHO in Pandemic Preparedness

The WHO plays a pivotal role in coordinating the global response to pandemics. The pandemic agreement aims to clarify and strengthen the WHO’s mandate in several key areas:

Early Warning & Risk Assessment: The WHO will be responsible for providing timely and accurate risk assessments and early warnings of potential pandemic threats.

Technical assistance & Capacity Building: The organization will continue to provide technical assistance and capacity building support to member states, particularly those with limited resources.

research & Development Coordination: The WHO will facilitate coordination of research and development efforts to accelerate the development of medical countermeasures.

Emergency Response Coordination: The WHO will coordinate the international response to pandemics, including the deployment of emergency medical teams and the provision of essential supplies.

Impact on Global Health Security

The successful conclusion of the pandemic agreement has the potential to considerably enhance global health security. By fostering international collaboration,strengthening health systems,and ensuring equitable access to resources,the agreement can help to prevent future pandemics and mitigate their impact.

Reduced Pandemic Risk: Proactive measures to prevent zoonotic spillover and strengthen surveillance systems can reduce the risk of future pandemics.

Faster Response Times: Improved coordination and resource mobilization can enable a faster and more effective response to emerging health threats.

Increased Equity: Equitable access to vaccines, treatments, and diagnostics can help to protect vulnerable populations and reduce health disparities.

strengthened Health Systems: investment in health system capacity building can improve overall health outcomes and resilience.

Real-World Examples & Lessons Learned

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the critical need for a more coordinated and equitable global response. The rapid development and deployment of vaccines demonstrated the power of scientific innovation,but also exposed the stark inequalities in access. The delays in sharing data and coordinating travel restrictions hampered the initial response. The ongoing negotiations for the pandemic agreement are directly informed by these experiences. For exmaple, the African Union’s efforts to secure vaccine supplies independently of the COVAX facility underscored the need for greater regional manufacturing capacity and self-reliance.

Practical Tips for Stakeholders

Governments: Prioritize investment in public health infrastructure and pandemic preparedness planning. Actively participate in the negotiations and commit to implementing the agreement.

Pharmaceutical Companies: Embrace technology transfer and explore innovative financing models to ensure equitable access to medical countermeasures.

Researchers: Focus on research to prevent zoonotic spillover, develop new diagnostics and therapeutics, and improve pandemic modeling.