On May 20, 2025, the World Health Assembly has already adopted a basic Agreement to combat future pandemics based on the principles of equity and solidarity. The delay now concerns the PABS (Access to Pathogens and Benefit-sharing) mechanism, a pathogen access and benefit-sharing system aimed at ensuring equitable sharing of virus samples and vaccines.
Discussions focus on a system designed to ensure the rapid exchange of information between countries on pathogens capable of causing pandemics, and to guarantee equitable access to appropriate vaccines, tests and treatments.
A WHO special regulation governs how countries share data and samples of pathogens that pose a public health threat and aims to ensure equitable access to vaccines and treatments.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said progress had been made but urged countries to continue working urgently, noting that the next pandemic was “a matter of time, not probability.”
Continued work is expected to help countries better prepare for future pandemics, despite difficulties in reaching consensus on pathogen access mechanisms. The results will be presented to the World Health Assembly at the end of May.
