WHO Member States Reach Landmark Pandemic Preparedness Deal

After more than three years of tough negotiations, World Health Organization (WHO) member states have reached a draft agreement aimed at preventing future pandemics and improving global readiness. The proposed deal, shaped by 13 rounds of talks, will now be presented to the World Health Assembly in May, where countries will decide whether to adopt it. WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called the consensus a “generational accord to make the world safer” and praised the commitment of nations for finding common ground despite political divides.

One of the biggest hurdles during the talks was ensuring fair access to medicines and vaccines between wealthy and lower-income countries. If adopted, the agreement would require manufacturers to allocate 20% of their pandemic-related products—like vaccines and therapeutics—to the WHO, with at least half of that supply offered as donations or at affordable prices. The deal also pushes for stronger local production capabilities, improved supply chain oversight, and global cooperation on health emergencies, which many believe will help close the equity gap exposed during COVID-19.

Although the U.S. pulled out of the negotiations under the Trump administration and won’t be bound by the agreement, health experts say the deal marks a major win for multilateral cooperation. “This is a historic moment and a show, that with or without the U.S., countries are committed to working together and to the power of multilateralism,” said Nina Schwalbe, founder of Spark Street Advisors. The agreement still needs final approval from the World Health Assembly and ratification by member states.