Health & SocialImportant2025-05-20

WHA Adopts Historic WHO Pandemic Agreement

Q: Which of the following statements about the WHO Pandemic Agreement is/are correct? 1. It establishes the Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) system to ensure equitable access to medical countermeasures. 2. It was negotiated and adopted exclusively under the framework of the UN Security Council.

1 only — Statement 1 is correct as the PABS system is a core feature for equitable distribution of vaccines and treatments. Statement 2 is incorrect because the agreement was negotiated by the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB) and adopted by the World Health Assembly under Article 19 of the WHO Constitution, not the UN Security Council.

Why focus: First-of-its-kind WHO treaty. The PABS system is a prime GS2/GS3 proxy trap for Match-the-Following global frameworks.

In News

What Happened

At the 78th World Health Assembly in May 2025, WHO member states adopted the world's first Pandemic Agreement by consensus. This legally binding treaty, negotiated under Article 19 of the WHO Constitution, establishes a framework to strengthen global pandemic preparedness and response. A central feature of the treaty is the creation of a Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) system to ensure the equitable distribution of medical countermeasures globally.

Why It Matters

For India, known as the 'pharmacy of the world', this agreement provides a structured framework to share pathogens and access resulting benefits like diagnostics and vaccines. It aligns with India's long-standing advocacy for healthcare equity in the Global South and offers a predictable legal environment for its pharmaceutical manufacturing sector during future health emergencies.

Background

History & Context

The push for a pandemic treaty emerged from the glaring inequities and uncoordinated global responses witnessed during the COVID-19 pandemic. In December 2021, the World Health Assembly established the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB) to draft and negotiate this new legal instrument. Over several years of intense negotiations, member states debated complex issues such as intellectual property rights, technology transfer, and pathogen sharing, culminating in the final consensus at the 78th WHA.

What Changed

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BEFORE: Pathogen sharing and access to subsequent vaccines or treatments were ad hoc, often resulting in severe supply inequities for developing nations. NOW: The agreement establishes the Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) system, formally linking the sharing of biological materials with guaranteed equitable access to resulting medical countermeasures.
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BEFORE: Global pandemic response relied primarily on the International Health Regulations (IHR) 2005, which lacked robust, binding mechanisms for supply chain equity and technology transfer. NOW: The legally binding Pandemic Agreement complements the IHR by mandating specific commitments for equitable supply chains, local production capacity, and technology transfer during emergencies.
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BEFORE: Intellectual property rules and pandemic surveillance efforts were largely fragmented, leading to delayed global responses and vaccine hoarding. NOW: The treaty creates a cohesive framework that encourages predictable intellectual property management and establishes enhanced, coordinated global surveillance networks.

Prelims Angle

NCERT Connection

This event directly connects to Class 12 Political Science Chapter 6, 'International Organisations', which discusses the role of UN agencies in addressing transnational challenges. The WHO Pandemic Agreement illustrates how international organizations facilitate global cooperation, negotiate legally binding treaties, and resolve collective action problems like global health emergencies.

Practice Questions

Q1

Correct Statement(s)

Which of the following statements about the WHO Pandemic Agreement is/are correct? 1. It establishes the Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) system to ensure equitable access to medical countermeasures. 2. It was negotiated and adopted exclusively under the framework of the UN Security Council.

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