World ‘unprepared’ for next pandemic as countries fail to agree on sharing information, tests and vaccines
The Guardian • • world
Key Points:
- Negotiators missed a key deadline to finalize a global pandemic treaty, raising concerns that the world remains unprepared for future major disease outbreaks.
- The treaty hinges on an agreement for "pathogen access and benefit sharing" (Pabs), which governs how countries share information on dangerous pathogens and access vaccines, tests, and treatments.
- The World Health Organization’s pandemic agreement, passed in May 2025, will only come into force after the Pabs system is finalized and 60 countries ratify the treaty.
- Disputes persist mainly between developed and developing countries over mandatory sharing of medical products, with developing nations seeking enforceable contracts and some European countries favoring a hybrid voluntary-mandatory approach.
- WHO officials and independent panel leaders warn that without swift agreement and preparation, the world remains vulnerable to the next pandemic, which is seen as inevitable.
