Latest news with #PathogenAccessandBenefit-SharingSystem
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
The Pandemic Agreement is a Landmark for Public Health
The Pandemic Agreement, just adopted by the World Health Organization (WHO), is a landmark for global public health. Had such an agreement been in place before 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic would have looked very different. The agreement now means that when the next pandemic begins brewing, the world will be much better equipped to mitigate or even prevent it. What exactly will the agreement do? In a nutshell, 124 countries have pledged to prevent, prepare for, and respond to future pandemics. The countries that formally ratify the agreement will be bound to uphold a number of commitments including investing in health infrastructures, sharing intellectual property, and engaging in technology transfer. One of the biggest benefits promises to be the Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing System. This will require U.N. member states to share information and data about potential pandemic viruses, including sequencing of new viruses or variants, as well as share relevant vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostic technologies. Vaccine manufacturers in participating countries will be expected to provide 20% of pandemic vaccines in real time to the WHO to distribute globally, including to poorer countries and those most in need of them. Of these vaccines, member countries will donate 10% of them for free. Such an arrangement would have saved many lives during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the first few years, the unequal access to vaccines was one of the biggest challenges, with one study finding that up to half the COVID-19 deaths in many lower income countries could have been avoided with a more equitable supply of vaccines. Read More: Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus: Global-Health Architect Conspicuously absent from the agreement is the U.S., which has historically played a key role in global health, from HIV/AIDS to malaria and beyond. Although 11 countries abstained from voting, the U.S.'s omission due to its decision to withdraw from the WHO is notable. COVID-19 taught us that the health of people on the other side of the world is inexorably tied to our own. Isolationism doesn't work when it comes to infectious disease. Even countries that took the most drastic measures to contain COVID-19, like China, eventually succumbed to rapid and extensive spread of the virus when they relaxed international travel or strict lockdowns and social-distancing measures. Preventing the next pandemic will require us to ensure that all countries, including low- and middle-income ones, have the necessary resources to prevent outbreaks from happening and to quash them before they spread. The agreement also proves that multilateralism and a desire for global cooperation are still shared goals among most countries. Some critics of the agreement, including U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr, have argued that it would be a threat to national sovereignty or freedom, in that it would compromise countries' ability to make pandemic-related health policy decisions. This is not the case. The agreement states that it 'does not prejudice the sovereign right' of countries to consider it in accordance with their own national constitutions. Global agreements or treaties of this nature are rare. But when they do come about, they are far from being tokenistic documents full of legalese. Although the Pandemic Agreement is less formal and legally binding, several U.N. global treaties have already saved millions of lives. The Framework Convention for Tobacco Control, the first WHO treaty, has reduced tobacco use by one-third over the past 20 years and has saved lives with policies like indoor smoking bans. Read More: We Are Still Not Ready for the Next Pandemic Whilst global agreements require financial and political investment, they can also be cost-effective in the long run. The Minamata Convention, a U.N. treaty designed to reduce the effects of mercury on health and the environment, is projected to save $339 billion by 2050 in the U.S. alone. Beyond pandemics, the agreement also urges countries to take collaborative action that will benefit people's health in myriad ways. For example, the agreement directs participating countries to 'take appropriate measures to develop, strengthen and maintain a resilient health system,' and to take into consideration the need for equity and advancing universal health coverage. Generally speaking, when COVID-19 hit, the more equitable a country's health care system, the better equipped it was to deal with the disease. Of course, better, fairer health care systems are an end in themselves; they will reduce health inequalities and improve a range of health outcomes, including non-communicable diseases. The agreement also proposes a 'one health' approach to pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response. This takes into account the interconnected nature of human, animal, and environmental health. Although the current risk to humans is low, H5N1 avian influenza still very much has pandemic potential. A "one health' approach can help prevent and minimize spread within and across different species, and ultimately reduce the risk of further zoonotic spillover into humans. This type of approach is also important for other health challenges, from antimicrobial resistance to food safety. The Pandemic Agreement is cause for optimism in these otherwise challenging times for global health. Contact us at letters@
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Business Standard
21-05-2025
- Health
- Business Standard
New WHO agreement on pandemic response: What's it is and what it will do
With lessons from Covid-19, WHO members back treaty to improve equity, vaccine access, and emergency coordination during future outbreaks Barkha Mathur New Delhi World Health Organization (WHO) member states have adopted a landmark agreement aimed at addressing the gaps exposed during the Covid-19 pandemic. The WHO Pandemic Agreement is designed to ensure faster, fairer and more coordinated global responses during future health emergencies. What is the WHO Pandemic Agreement? The WHO Pandemic Agreement is the first legally binding international accord to comprehensively address pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response. Adopted under Article 19 of the WHO Constitution, it promotes data sharing, equitable access to resources and greater cooperation between countries during health crises. The agreement text states that member countries recognise 'that the international spread of disease is a global threat… that calls for the widest possible international and regional collaboration… while reaffirming the principle of the sovereignty of States in addressing public health matters.' What are the goals of the WHO pandemic treaty? The agreement outlines five primary objectives: Ensure equitable access to pandemic-related vaccines, treatments, and diagnostics Strengthen collaboration through data and pathogen sharing Support resilient health systems, especially in low-resource settings Promote knowledge and technology transfer for local production Establish sustainable funding mechanisms for rapid response How will countries benefit from the pandemic agreement? Countries that sign and ratify the agreement will be entitled to: Rapid access to 20 per cent of global pandemic-related health product output — 10 per cent as donations, 10 per cent at affordable prices A Global Supply Chain and Logistics Network (GSCL) for fair resource distribution A coordinated financial mechanism for emergency response from day one of a pandemic Access to shared technologies and production knowledge, especially in developing countries What is the WHO Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing System (PABS)? The Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing System (PABS), still under negotiation, will govern how countries share biological materials and genome sequences and ensure fair return benefits like vaccines and diagnostics. The PABS annex will be finalised for consideration at the 2026 World Health Assembly. The treaty also adopts a 'One Health' approach, acknowledging the link between human, animal and environmental health. What happens next? The agreement is now open for signature and ratification. It will become binding once ratified by 60 countries. Member states are expected to: Begin aligning national laws with the agreement Engage in the development of the PABS annex Support WHO-led efforts to strengthen health systems, particularly in developing nations Consider early ratification to expedite the treaty's entry into force How will the agreement promote equity in vaccine distribution? The agreement directly addresses vaccine inequity, a major issue during the Covid-19 pandemic. Pharmaceutical manufacturers will be required to reserve: 10 per cent of production for WHO-led donations 10 per cent at reduced prices for distribution to low-income nations The agreement also discourages vaccine hoarding and promotes timely and transparent supply allocation to vulnerable populations. What did WHO say about the significance of the treaty? 'The world is safer today thanks to the leadership, collaboration and commitment of our Member States to adopt the historic WHO Pandemic Agreement,' said WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in a statement. He added: 'The Agreement is a victory for public health, science and multilateral action. It will ensure we, collectively, can better protect the world from future pandemic threats. It is also a recognition by the international community that our citizens, societies and economies must not be left vulnerable to again suffer losses like those endured during Covid-19.'
NDTV
20-05-2025
- Health
- NDTV
Key Points Of WHO Pandemic Agreement
The WHO Pandemic Agreement, an accord designed to address the mistakes made in handling COVID-19, is being submitted for adoption Tuesday at the World Health Assembly. The annual decision-making gathering of the World Health Organization's member states will consider the agreement, which took more than three years to negotiate. The details of the agreement's central mechanism must still be negotiated by May 2026, after which it can be ratified by countries. Here are the main points of the agreement, which has 35 articles. Objective The objective of the WHO Pandemic Agreement is "strengthening pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response". Following the glaring inequity and deficiencies exposed in the world's handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, the agreement is guided by the principles of equity, solidarity and transparency. It says public health decisions in the face of pandemics must be based on "the best available science and evidence". Respect for the sovereign rights of states is also a key foundation, according to the text. Prevention and surveillance Countries must take progressive steps to strengthen their pandemic prevention and surveillance capacities. Subject to resources, countries are called on to develop, reinforce and implement comprehensive national pandemic prevention plans. They must bolster the prevention of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases with early detection and control measures. This would include things like routine immunisation, managing biological risks in laboratories, preventing antimicrobial resistance, and stopping the transmission of diseases from animals to humans. Sustainable local production The text calls for countries to take measures to ensure "more equitable geographical distribution and rapid scale-up of the global production of pandemic-related health products" like vaccines. It also calls for more "sustainable, timely and equitable access to such products", and for countries to "reduce the potential gap between supply and demand during pandemic emergencies". Technology transfer The transfer of technology and know-how needed to produce pandemic-related health products, in particular to developing countries, had been a major sticking point during the negotiations. Some wealthier countries, notably ones where such products are currently produced, rejected the idea that such transfers should be mandatory. The agreed-upon text instead calls for transfers to be undertaken on "mutually agreed" terms. It calls for the use of measures and incentives including licensing agreements and favourable conditions linked to things like financing and regulations to promote technology transfer. It also aims to promote tech and knowledge transfer to recognised regional or global centres coordinated by the WHO. Pathogen access, benefit sharing The heart of the agreement is the proposed Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing System (PABS) -- a new platform allowing the swift sharing of pathogen data with pharmaceutical companies, enabling them to start work quickly on pandemic-fighting products. Under PABS, countries will commit to sharing data rapidly on emerging problematic pathogens, while vaccines and other health products derived from accessing that information would be shared on a more equitable footing. The text calls for participating manufacturers to make available to the WHO at speed "20 percent of their real-time production" of pandemic-related health products, including "a minimum threshold of 10 percent" in the form of donations, and the rest "reserved at affordable prices" for the UN health agency. Any company can participate, even if its headquarters are in a country that is not a WHO member state. The mechanism's details still need to be negotiated and put in an annex by May 2026. To achieve this, an intergovernmental negotiating group must begin meeting before July 15. Once the annex is finalised and approved, the agreement can be opened for ratification by countries. The agreement enters into force after 60 ratifications. Supply chain and logistics In an attempt to smooth out the flaws exposed by Covid-19, a Global Supply Chain and Logistics Network will be set up for equitable, timely and affordable access to pandemic-related health products. During pandemic emergencies, countries should prioritise sharing pandemic-related health products through the network to ensure equitable distribution based on public health risk and need. The structure and operational modalities of the network are to be coordinated by the WHO.
NDTV
15-05-2025
- Health
- NDTV
Pandemic Accord, Tightened Budget On Menu At World Health Organisation Meet
Next week promises to be a crucial one for the World Health Organization, with member states coming together in Geneva to adopt a landmark pandemic agreement and a slimmed-down budget amid US funding cuts. Dozens of high-ranking officials and thousands of delegates are set to gather for the United Nations health agency's annual decision-making assembly, due to last from May 19 to 27. "This huge gathering comes... at a pivotal moment for global health," Catharina Boehme, WHO's assistant director-general for external relations and governance, told reporters. It comes as countries are confronting "emerging threats and major shifts in the landscape for global health and international development", she said. More than five years after the emergence of Covid-19, which killed millions of people, much of the focus next week will be on the expected adoption of a hard-won international agreement on how to better protect against and tackle future pandemics. After more than three years of negotiations, countries reached consensus on a text last month but final approval by the World Health Assembly is needed -- a discussion expected to take place on Tuesday. 'Without The US' The United States, which has thrown the global health system into crisis by slashing foreign aid spending, was not present during the final stretch of the talks. US President Donald Trump ordered a withdrawal from the WHO and from the pandemic agreement talks after taking office in January. The agreement "is a jab in the arm for multilateralism, even if it is multilateralism in this case without the US", said a European diplomat who asked not to be named. The WHA will be called upon to ratify the adoption of the agreement and to launch an intergovernmental working group to negotiate technical details of the so-called Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing System (PABS), said negotiations co-chair Anne-Claire Amprou. Core to the agreement, that system will be aimed at allowing the swift sharing of pathogen data with pharmaceutical companies, enabling them to quickly start working on pandemic-fighting products. Once the PABS annex is completed and adopted at the 2026 WHA, "the whole (agreement) will open for signature", Steven Solomon, WHO's principal legal officer, told reporters. Ratification by 60 states will be needed for the accord to come into force. Deep Cuts Also high on the agenda next week will be the dramatic overhaul of WHO operations and finances. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told member states last month that the agency would need to slim down due to deep US funding cuts. The agency has been bracing for Trump's planned full withdrawal of the United States -- by far its largest donor -- next January. The United States gave WHO $1.3 billion for its 2022-2023 budget, mainly through voluntary contributions for specific projects rather than fixed membership fees. "The loss of US funding, combined with reductions in official development assistance by some other countries, mean we are facing a salary gap for the next biennium of more than $500 million," Tedros said on Wednesday. Tedros has not said how many jobs will be lost, but on Wednesday he announced the organisation would cut its leadership team nearly in half. Budget Gap Next week, member states will vote on a proposed 20-percent increase of WHO's mandatory membership fees for the 2026-27 budget period, Boehme said. Members already agreed in 2022 to increase the mandatory fees to cover 50 percent of the WHO budget. Without that decision, Tedros said Wednesday that "our current financial situation would be much worse -- $300 million worse". "It is essential, therefore, that member states approve this next increase, to make another step towards securing the long-term financial sustainability and independence of WHO." Countries will also be asked to adopt the 2026-2027 budget, at a time when development assistance funding, including for health resources, are dwindling globally. "We have proposed a reduced budget of $4.2 billion for the 2026-2027 biennium, a 21-percent reduction on the original proposed budget of 5.3 billion," Tedros said. If the increase in membership fees is approved, the WHO estimates it can raise more than $2.6 billion, or more than 60 percent of the budget. "That leaves an anticipated budget gap of more than $1.7 billion," Tedros said.
The Sun
15-05-2025
- Health
- The Sun
WHO Faces Pivotal Week on Pandemic Pact, Budget Cuts
GENEVA: Next week promises to be a crucial one for the World Health Organization, with member states coming together in Geneva to adopt a landmark pandemic agreement and a slimmed-down budget amid US funding cuts. Dozens of high-ranking officials and thousands of delegates are set to gather for the United Nations health agency's annual decision-making assembly, due to last from May 19 to 27. 'This huge gathering comes... at a pivotal moment for global health,' Catharina Boehme, WHO's assistant director-general for external relations and governance, told reporters. It comes as countries are confronting 'emerging threats and major shifts in the landscape for global health and international development', she said. More than five years after the emergence of Covid-19, which killed millions of people, much of the focus next week will be on the expected adoption of a hard-won international agreement on how to better protect against and tackle future pandemics. After more than three years of negotiations, countries reached consensus on a text last month but final approval by the World Health Assembly is needed -- a discussion expected to take place on Tuesday. 'Without the US' The United States, which has thrown the global health system into crisis by slashing foreign aid spending, was not present during the final stretch of the talks. US President Donald Trump ordered a withdrawal from the WHO and from the pandemic agreement talks after taking office in January. The agreement 'is a jab in the arm for multilateralism, even if it is multilateralism in this case without the US', said a European diplomat who asked not to be named. The WHA will be called upon to ratify the adoption of the agreement and to launch an intergovernmental working group to negotiate technical details of the so-called Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing System (PABS), said negotiations co-chair Anne-Claire Amprou. Core to the agreement, that system will be aimed at allowing the swift sharing of pathogen data with pharmaceutical companies, enabling them to quickly start working on pandemic-fighting products. Once the PABS annex is completed and adopted at the 2026 WHA, 'the whole (agreement) will open for signature', Steven Solomon, WHO's principal legal officer, told reporters. Ratification by 60 states will be needed for the accord to come into force. Deep cuts Also high on the agenda next week will be the dramatic overhaul of WHO operations and finances. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told member states last month that the agency would need to slim down due to deep US funding cuts. The agency has been bracing for Trump's planned full withdrawal of the United States -- by far its largest donor -- next January. The United States gave WHO $1.3 billion for its 2022-2023 budget, mainly through voluntary contributions for specific projects rather than fixed membership fees. 'The loss of US funding, combined with reductions in official development assistance by some other countries, mean we are facing a salary gap for the next biennium of more than $500 million,' Tedros said on Wednesday. Tedros has not said how many jobs will be lost, but on Wednesday he announced the organisation would cut its leadership team nearly in half. Budget gap Next week, member states will vote on a proposed 20-percent increase of WHO's mandatory membership fees for the 2026-27 budget period, Boehme said. Members already agreed in 2022 to increase the mandatory fees to cover 50 percent of the WHO budget. Without that decision, Tedros said Wednesday that 'our current financial situation would be much worse -- $300 million worse'. 'It is essential, therefore, that member states approve this next increase, to make another step towards securing the long-term financial sustainability and independence of WHO.' Countries will also be asked to adopt the 2026-2027 budget, at a time when development assistance funding, including for health resources, are dwindling globally. 'We have proposed a reduced budget of $4.2 billion for the 2026-2027 biennium, a 21-percent reduction on the original proposed budget of 5.3 billion,' Tedros said. If the increase in membership fees is approved, the WHO estimates it can raise more than $2.6 billion, or more than 60 percent of the budget. 'That leaves an anticipated budget gap of more than $1.7 billion,' Tedros said.
