WHO Delays Pandemic Treaty Due To Dispute Over Pathogen-Sharing Rules

Reuters (5/1, Ananthan) reported that “World Health Organization member states said on Friday they had extended talks on pathogen-sharing rules, casting doubt on when a pandemic treaty adopted last year can come into effect.” These “talks are focused on a system intended to ensure countries quickly share pathogens that could cause pandemics while receiving fair access to vaccines, tests and treatments that result from their use.” Reuters adds, “Known as the Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) annex, it governs how countries share data and samples of pathogens that pose public health risks and seeks to ensure equitable access to vaccines and treatments.” With no “agreement on PABS, the pandemic accord, which is intended to help the world respond more effectively to future pandemics in the wake of COVID-19, cannot come into effect.”