Global health milestone: countries move forward on WHO pandemic pact for fair pathogen access and benefit sharing

DCM Editorial Summary: This story has been independently rewritten and summarised for DCM readers to highlight key developments relevant to the region. Original reporting by WHO, click this post to read the original article.

For the first time, Member States have begun formal discussions on the draft annex to the WHO Pandemic Agreement, which outlines the proposed Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing (PABS) system. This key component of the global agreement, adopted earlier in 2025, aims to enhance the world’s preparedness for future pandemics. The draft was reviewed during the Third meeting of the Intergovernmental Working Group (IGWG) held in Geneva from 3–7 November. The IGWG was established by the World Health Assembly to develop and negotiate the annex, among other tasks.

The PABS system seeks to ensure that countries can quickly identify and share information about pathogens with pandemic potential. By facilitating the timely and equitable sharing of pathogen samples and genetic data, the system will help scientists around the world develop necessary tools such as diagnostic tests, treatments, and vaccines. The draft annex provides detailed provisions to put into action the commitments under Article 12 of the Pandemic Agreement, which focuses on equitable access to life-saving resources during health emergencies.

WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus praised the Member States for their collaborative spirit, emphasizing that solidarity and multilateral efforts are essential for preparing for future health crises. This sentiment was echoed by IGWG co-chairs Ambassador Tovar da Silva Nunes of Brazil and Mr. Matthew Harpur of the United Kingdom, who acknowledged the progress and expressed optimism about finalizing the annex.

You should know that the IGWG also engaged with civil society and industry stakeholders to gather input on the PABS annex. These ongoing discussions are expected to continue in December. Once the annex is finalized, it will be submitted to the Seventy-ninth World Health Assembly in May 2026 for adoption, after which it will move forward for approval by national parliaments.