Member States Advance Pandemic Agreement Support for WHO
- The World Health Organization (WHO) is moving forward with a crucial component of its pandemic preparedness efforts: a system for sharing access to pathogens and ensuring equitable benefits...
- The World Health Assembly established an open-ended Intergovernmental Working Group (IGWG) to draft and negotiate the Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) annex to the Pandemic Agreement.
- Together, amendments to the International Health Regulations officially came into force on September 19, 2025, further strengthening global health security.
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WHO Advances Pandemic Preparedness with Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing System
Table of Contents
The World Health Organization (WHO) is moving forward with a crucial component of its pandemic preparedness efforts: a system for sharing access to pathogens and ensuring equitable benefits from related technologies. This follows the historic adoption of the WHO Pandemic Agreement in May 2025 and amendments to the International Health Regulations (IHR).
Building on Recent Achievements
The World Health Assembly established an open-ended Intergovernmental Working Group (IGWG) to draft and negotiate the Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) annex to the Pandemic Agreement. This annex is a priority for the IGWG, and its outcome will be presented to the Seventy-ninth world Health assembly in 2026 for consideration. The WHO Pandemic Agreement, adopted in May 2024, lays the groundwork for this system.
Together, amendments to the International Health Regulations officially came into force on September 19, 2025, further strengthening global health security. These amendments, alongside the Pandemic Agreement, are providing momentum for the development of the PABS annex, according to WHO officials.
Negotiations and Timeline
Ambassador Tovar da Silva Nunes of Brazil, co-Chairperson of the IGWG Bureau, stated that negotiators have made “strong progress” in shaping the PABS system. He highlighted a ”strong common understanding on critical issues” related to pathogen access and benefit sharing.The first draft of the PABS annex is expected to be drafted and negotiated in November and December 2025.
The PABS system aims to address concerns about equitable access to pathogens – the viruses and bacteria that cause disease – and the benefits derived from technologies developed using those pathogens. This includes ensuring that low- and middle-income countries have access to vaccines, diagnostics, and treatments during future pandemics.
WHO Leadership and Future Steps
WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus praised countries for their work on both the IHR amendments and the Pandemic Agreement,calling them “generational accomplishments.” He emphasized the “chance and duty” for countries to finalize the PABS system as mandated by the World Health Assembly. Dr. Tedros underscored the importance of bringing the Pandemic Agreement to full fruition.
in addition to negotiating the PABS annex,the IGWG is also preparing for the Conference of the Parties to the WHO Pandemic Agreement,which will serve as a governing body for the agreement once it is fully implemented.
what is Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS)?
PABS is a critical component of global pandemic preparedness. It addresses the need for fair and equitable access to biological materials (pathogens) that are essential for developing medical countermeasures like vaccines and treatments. Historically, access to these materials has been uneven, often favoring high-income countries and private companies. A robust PABS system aims to correct this imbalance.
Key elements of a PABS system typically include:
- Standardized Material Transfer Agreements (MTAs): Clear agreements governing the sharing of pathogens.
- benefit-Sharing Mechanisms: Ensuring that benefits derived from pathogen-based technologies are shared equitably, particularly with countries and communities where the pathogens originated. This could include financial benefits, technology transfer, or capacity building.
- Transparency: Openly tracking the use of shared pathogens and the development of related technologies.
- Timely Access: Rapidly sharing pathogens during a pandemic to accelerate the development of medical countermeasures.