The members of the World Health Organization (WHO) have agreed to the text of a legally binding treaty designed to better address future pandemics.
The pact is intended to avoid disorganization and competition for the resources observed during the Covid-19 outbreak.
The key elements include rapid data exchange on new diseases, to ensure that scientists and pharmaceutical companies can work more quickly to develop treatments and vaccines.
For the first time, WHO herself will also have an overview of global supply chains for masks, medical dresses and other personal protective equipment (PPE).
The general director, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, described the agreement as “a significant milestone on our shared trip to a safer world.”
“(Member States) have also shown that multilateralism is alive and well, and that in our divided world, nations can still work together to find common land and a shared response to shared threats,” he said.
The legally binding pact reached early on Wednesday took place after three years of conversations between the Member States.
It is only the second time in the history of the 75 years of the WHO that has reached an international agreement of this type, the first is a tobacco control agreement in 2003.
It must still be formally adopted by members when they meet for the World Health Assembly next month.
American negotiators were not part of the final discussions after President Donald Trump announced his decision to withdraw from the global health agency, and the United States will not be bound by the pact when he leaves in 2026.
According to agreed terms, countries must ensure that pandemic related medications are available worldwide in a future outbreak.
Participating manufacturers will have to assign 20% of their production of vaccines, therapies and diagnoses to WHO. At least 10% will have to be donated with the rest supplied at affordable prices.
Countries also approved the transfer of health technologies to the poorest nations whenever “mutually agreed.”
That should also allow more local production of vaccines and medications during a pandemic. But that clause had been extremely controversial.
Developing countries are still angry at the way in which rich nations bought and accumulated vaccines during COVID-19, while countries with large pharmaceutical industries concern mandatory transfers could undermine research and development.
In the core of the agreement there is a pathogen and sharing system (PAB) proposed, allowing the fastest data exchange between pharmaceutical companies.
That should allow these companies to start working on new medications more quickly in any future outbreak.
