WHO Member States Begin Negotiations on Pandemic Agreement Annex to Establish Global Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing System

 

New Delhi, November 7, 2025: In a crucial development for global health governance, World Health Organization (WHO) Member States have begun formal negotiations on the draft annex to the WHO Pandemic Agreement, which will establish the Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing (PABS) system, a core mechanism to enhance global preparedness and equitable response to future pandemics.

The discussions took place during the Third Meeting of the Intergovernmental Working Group (IGWG), held from 3–7 November 2025 at the WHO headquarters in Geneva. The meeting marked the first comprehensive review of the proposed draft text for the PABS annex, representing a major step toward operationalizing the commitments made under the Pandemic Agreement adopted earlier this year.

The PABS system is designed to facilitate the rapid and transparent sharing of pathogens and their genetic sequence data that have pandemic potential, ensuring scientists and public health experts can quickly develop diagnostic tools, treatments, and vaccines. Equally, it aims to guarantee fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the use of such materials, ensuring that all countries regardless of income level can access life-saving technologies in times of crisis.

WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus commended Member States for their continued dedication to multilateralism and global solidarity.

I thank Member States for their vital efforts to negotiate the first draft of the PABS annex and commend them on the progress made in finding shared positions and solutions to the shared risks and challenges posed by future pandemics, Dr. Tedros said. Solidarity is our best immunity. Finalizing the Pandemic Agreement, through a commitment to multilateral action, is our collective promise to protect humanity.

The PABS annex elaborates on Article 12 of the Pandemic Agreement, which focuses on ensuring equitable access to countermeasures during health emergencies. Under the proposed framework, the PABS system will enable timely sharing of materials and data while establishing mechanisms for distributing benefits such as vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostic tools to all Member States fairly.

Ambassador Tovar da Silva Nunes of Brazil, co-chair of the IGWG Bureau, emphasized that the week’s discussions were a testament to the international community’s determination to reach a balanced and fair outcome.

Difficult decisions on making the world safer from the threat of future pandemics require difficult conversations, Ambassador Nunes said. By considering complex issues head-on, these negotiations are ensuring that future pandemic responses will be fair, timely, and grounded in solidarity.

His fellow co-chair, Mr. Matthew Harpur of the United Kingdom, added that countries around the world have demonstrated a clear commitment to collective progress.

We look forward to further discussions in December, he said, noting that the collaborative spirit shown in Geneva was a clear sign of shared global responsibility. During the meeting, IGWG members also engaged with civil society organizations, academia, and industry representatives to gather diverse perspectives on the draft text.

The finalized PABS annex is expected to be submitted to the Seventy-ninth World Health Assembly in May 2026 for formal consideration and adoption. Once approved, the process of national ratification of the Pandemic Agreement will begin, marking a significant stride toward a safer, fairer, and more resilient global health system.