The World Health Organization ended discussions about how to protect the world from future pandemics without reaching an agreement. Now, it’s up to governments to decide whether to continue the process. Negotiators will present the latest draft of the agreement, which still has unresolved issues, to the World Health Assembly. The assembly, WHO’s annual decision-making body, begins on Monday, and ministers will choose the next steps.
Roland Driece, co-chair of the bureau overseeing the talks, stated, “It would be very foolish not to finish negotiations,” during a Friday press conference. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has emphasized the need for negotiators to reach an agreement by the May 2024 deadline.
However, disagreements over intellectual property and access to vaccines prevented a resolution. Negotiators from developing countries refused to support an agreement that didn’t ensure access to life-saving drugs and vaccines. Wealthier countries also wouldn’t agree to compel pharmaceutical companies to surrender their intellectual property rights during a pandemic. There was also an unresolvable dispute over the percentage of pharmaceutical companies’ drugs and vaccines that should be provided for free or at non-profit prices.
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