World Health Organisation Adopts Historic Pandemic Agreement to Ensure International Coordination and Equitable Access to Pandemic-Related Health Products

Strategic Insights -

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has formally adopted the world's first Pandemic Agreement by consensus, marking a significant milestone in global efforts to prevent, prepare, and respond to future pandemics. The agreement aims to ensure countries work together to prevent and respond to pandemics, with a focus on equitable access to vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics. Pharmaceutical manufacturers participating in the agreement will be required to provide safe, quality, and effective vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics to WHO, with 20% of their real-time production allocated for pandemic-related health products.

Key Takeaways:

  • The WHO Pandemic Agreement aims to ensure countries work together for effective prevention, preparation, and response to future pandemics.
  • The agreement sets out the principles, approaches, and tools for better international coordination across a range of areas, including equitable access to vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics.
  • Pharmaceutical manufacturers participating in the PABS system will make available to WHO rapid access to 20% of their real-time production of safe, quality, and effective vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics for the pathogen causing the pandemic emergency.
  • The distribution of these products will be carried out on the basis of public health risk and need, with particular attention to the needs of developing countries.
  • The agreement guarantees that countries which share virus samples will receive tests, medicines, and vaccines.
  • The WHO Pandemic Agreement sets out the process to draft and negotiate a Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing system (PABS) through an Intergovernmental Working Group (IGWG).
  • The secretary of the Philippines department of health, Teodoro Herbosa, has called for urgent implementation of the agreement's critical elements, including systems to ensure equitable access to life-saving pandemic-related health products.

Statistics:

  • 78 member countries of the WHO have formally adopted the Pandemic Agreement by consensus.
  • The agreement has been in development for over three years, launched in response to the devastating impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • 20% of pharmaceutical manufacturers' real-time production of vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics will be allocated for pandemic-related health products.
  • The agreement aims to ensure equitable access to pandemic-related health products, particularly for developing countries.

Sources:

  • United Nations (UN) health body statement, no date given
  • Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO director-general statement, no date given
  • WHO Pandemic Agreement, no date given
  • Teodoro Herbosa, secretary, Philippines department of health statement, no date given
  • Hindustan Times publication, permission granted