New Pandemic Agreement Draft Lands – And Finally, Text-Based Negotiations Can Begin

11/03/2024 Kerry Cullinan

The negotiating text of the pandemic agreement (see below) landed in the inboxes of World Health Organization (WHO) member states last Friday afternoon – 10 days before the penultimate negotiation on 18 March and on the eve of the fourth anniversary of the WHO’s declaration of COVID-19 as a pandemic. The 31-page draft was also […] Continue reading ->

Finally, Pandemic Accord Negotiations Head for Text-Based Talks

04/03/2024 Kerry Cullinan

Text-based negotiations on a pandemic agreement will finally start at the next meeting of the intergovernmental negotiating body (INB) on 18 March, with the draft negotiating text due to be circulated to World Health Organization (WHO) member states by this Friday, 8 March. This follows an intense two weeks of the eighth round of INB […] Continue reading ->

As Pandemic Negotiations Move at Snails’ Pace, Scientists Urge Pathogen-Sharing Agreement

27/02/2024 Kerry Cullinan

As pressure intensifies on World Health Organization (WHO) member states to finalise a pandemic agreement by May, insiders are concerned by the snails’ pace of negotiations – primarily because they believe the negotiators have spent an inordinate amount of time on contentious issues while neglecting more procedural issues. After two years of negotiations, the eighth […] Continue reading ->

Pandemic Talks: Chasm Between Member States Over How to Share Pathogen Information

19/02/2024 Kerry Cullinan

Officially, there are 19 negotiating days left until a pandemic agreement is due to be presented to the World Health Assembly, yet deep divisions remain between World Health Organization (WHO) member states over a number of clauses. One of the biggest obstacles relates to pathogen access and benefit-sharing (PABS) – or how countries should share […] Continue reading ->

From Pandemics to AI: Unpacking the Forces Shaping Global Health Policies

17/02/2024 Maayan Hoffman

In the most recent episodes of the Global Health Matters podcast, host Dr Garry Aslanyan and his guests reflect on the forces and factors that shape the economic, social, and physical landscape affecting health for all. “The global policy landscape is changing more rapidly than ever due to the influence of pandemics, regional conflicts and […] Continue reading ->

EXCLUSIVE: Read Latest Pandemic Agreement Draft Ahead of Monday’s Negotiations

15/02/2024 Kerry Cullinan

Health Policy Watch has obtained portions of the latest draft of the pandemic agreement that member states will negotiate over at the eighth intergovernmental negotiating body (INB) starting on Monday, 19 February. At the time of publishing, only member states had access to the draft, although a number of civil society organisations recognised as stakeholders […] Continue reading ->

‘Show Up and Listen’: WHO Member States Are Urged to Attend Civil Society Meetings on Pandemic Agreement

14/02/2024 Kerry Cullinan

After months of protesting about the lack of space for civil society in the World Health Organization’s (WHO) pandemic agreement negotiations, the Pandemic Action Network (PAN) is hosting two community meetings next week – and it expects member states to show up and listen. The meetings take place next Wednesday and Thursday (21 and 22 […] Continue reading ->

Without Ensuring Swift Access to Pathogens, Pandemic Accord Risks Failure

13/02/2024 Thomas B. Cueni

A wide array of stakeholders are looking toward the upcoming World Health Assembly this May to conclude negotiations on a new pandemic accord that seeks to make the world more prepared for the next pandemic. And most would agree that the primary task of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB), established by the World Health Assembly […] Continue reading ->

WHO Issues First-Ever List of Antimicrobials with Category “For Use in Humans Only”

13/02/2024 Sophia Samantaroy

The WHO has released a first-ever list of 21 antimicrobials earmarked as “authorized for use in humans only” – a first for the organization in its efforts to protect overuse and abuse of critical first-line drugs that need to be protected by overuse in animal and plant health sectors – and consequent antimicrobial resistance (AMR). […] Continue reading ->

With Only 10 Negotiating Days Left, Pressure Builds on Group Amending International Health Regulations

05/02/2024 Kerry Cullinan

With only 10 official negotiating days left, the Working Group on Amendments to the International Health Regulations (WGIHR) is under pressure to reach agreement on changes to the rules that govern global health emergencies. The seventh WGIHR meeting which began on Monday officially kicked off the 2024 pandemic ‘season’ negotiations at the World Health Organization […] Continue reading ->