After years of negotiation, World Health Organization (WHO) member states have reached a landmark agreement on a legally binding international treaty aimed at preventing the chaos and inequity witnessed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The new pact, which has been three years in the making, establishes a framework to ensure faster global collaboration, better data sharing, and more equitable access to life-saving medical supplies during future global health emergencies.
For the first time, the WHO will have visibility over international supply chains for essential equipment such as face masks, medical gowns, and other personal protective equipment (PPE)—a major step forward in coordinating global resources during emergencies.
WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus hailed the treaty as a milestone:
The pact must still be formally ratified during the upcoming World Health Assembly, the WHO's annual gathering of health ministers.
The treaty lays out key responsibilities for governments and pharmaceutical manufacturers in the event of future pandemics. Notably, participating manufacturers must set aside 20% of their production of pandemic-related vaccines, drugs, and tests for the WHO—10% of which must be donated, and the remaining 10% made available at affordable prices.
The deal also calls for the sharing of medical technologies with low- and middle-income countries, though only under mutually agreed terms—a point that proved contentious during negotiations.
At the heart of the agreement is the creation of a Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing System (PABS)—a mechanism designed to facilitate the rapid exchange of pathogen data and related benefits. The aim is to allow pharmaceutical companies to start developing countermeasures without delay during an emerging outbreak.
Still, global health leaders believe the agreement sets an important precedent in fostering multilateral cooperation.
The new pact, which has been three years in the making, establishes a framework to ensure faster global collaboration, better data sharing, and more equitable access to life-saving medical supplies during future global health emergencies.
Key Provisions of the Treaty
Among the most significant elements of the agreement is the requirement for rapid global sharing of pathogen data, enabling scientists and pharmaceutical companies to develop vaccines, treatments, and diagnostics more swiftly.For the first time, the WHO will have visibility over international supply chains for essential equipment such as face masks, medical gowns, and other personal protective equipment (PPE)—a major step forward in coordinating global resources during emergencies.
WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus hailed the treaty as a milestone:
The pact must still be formally ratified during the upcoming World Health Assembly, the WHO's annual gathering of health ministers.
A Rare Global Commitment
This is only the second legally binding international agreement in the WHO’s 75-year history—the first being the 2003 Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.The treaty lays out key responsibilities for governments and pharmaceutical manufacturers in the event of future pandemics. Notably, participating manufacturers must set aside 20% of their production of pandemic-related vaccines, drugs, and tests for the WHO—10% of which must be donated, and the remaining 10% made available at affordable prices.
The deal also calls for the sharing of medical technologies with low- and middle-income countries, though only under mutually agreed terms—a point that proved contentious during negotiations.
Balancing Equity and Innovation
The inclusion of technology transfer remains a delicate issue. Developing nations have voiced frustration over vaccine hoarding by wealthier countries during COVID-19, while pharmaceutical-producing countries have warned that mandatory sharing of proprietary technologies could harm research and development.At the heart of the agreement is the creation of a Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing System (PABS)—a mechanism designed to facilitate the rapid exchange of pathogen data and related benefits. The aim is to allow pharmaceutical companies to start developing countermeasures without delay during an emerging outbreak.
US Opt-Out
The United States, under President Donald Trump, previously announced its decision to withdraw from the WHO, with the formal departure expected in 2026. As a result, US negotiators did not participate in the final stages of the talks, and the US will not be legally bound by the treaty.Still, global health leaders believe the agreement sets an important precedent in fostering multilateral cooperation.
