International pandemic contract after a long struggle

Five years after the beginning of Corona pandemic, numerous countries have agreed on a pandemic contract that is supposed to prevent a similar chaos as during the crisis at the time. After a good three years and recently night -time discussions in Geneva, the negotiators approved a contract text. It is to be adopted in May at the annual meeting of the 194 members of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Switzerland.

Without the USA

The United States has no longer participated in the negotiations since the change of government in Washington. The new president Donald Trump ordered the exit from the WHO, which will be effective in January 2026. The contract now negotiated applies anyway only to countries whose parliaments have ratified it. Even after entry into force, the WHO cannot order lockdowns, travel restrictions or vaccinations. 60 ratifications are necessary, which could take a few years according to the expert opinion.

« I have no doubt that the world will be much better prepared for another pandemic after ratification and will survive it better and more fairly, » said Gian-Luca Burci, professor at the Center for Global Health at the Geneva University Graduate Institute, the German Press Agency. What the contract regulates:

Prevention

Countries undertake to strengthen their health systems and the monitoring of the animal kingdom in such a way that outbursts of illness are quickly discovered and nipped in the bud if possible. It was important to the Europeans that antibiotic resistance would also be combated.

Supply chains

What is used and delivered in the event of a pandemic should be equally accessible to all countries. Health personnel should be cared for first. In corona pandemic, countries had obtained masks or vaccines and some of them prevented export. While the third vaccination was already administered in rich states, people in poor countries were still waiting for the first syringe.

Research and Development

Important information such as the DNA sequence about pathogens should be freely replaced so that medication and vaccines can be developed. In return, Pharmaceutical companies of the WHO are supposed to cede ten percent of their production as a donation to distribute in poorer countries (PABS system). Further production shares should at least be made available at a low price. The modalities still have to be negotiated and should be in an appendix to the contract.

Technology transfer

Companies should share their know-how to produce medication and vaccines, also to enable productions in other countries. It was important to the European supporters that the participation of the companies remains voluntary.

Signal for solidarity

The text has many spongy formulations. Obligations apply, for example, « depending on national laws », there are restrictions such as « in mutual agreement ». « The contract is a start and not an end, » says Burci. With such an agreement, a dynamic develops, such as the WHO contract for tobacco control that came into force in 2005. There is also pressure because countries have to show every few years at Contract State Conferences.

The medical director of the aid organization doctors without borders, Maria Guevara, praised the contract despite compromises and partly vague language. It sees it as a « strong signal of global solidarity ».