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WHO Pandemic Agreement: India ties pathogen sharing to equitable access

By CAShorts DeskPublished Updated Sources: ANI; Health Policy Watch; WHO

WHO Pandemic Agreement: India ties pathogen sharing to equitable access
Illustration (AI-generated)

India's Health Secretary told the UN High-Level Meeting on pandemics in New York on 25 September 2026 that countries sharing pathogens must get timely access to vaccines, diagnostics and therapeutics, with national sovereignty respected. The meeting's Political Declaration was not adopted by consensus after the United States objected, partly over references to unfinished pathogen benefit-sharing talks.

Syllabus: Prelims · Current Affairs & IR; GS2 · Health, Education & Human Resources; GS2 · Foreign Policies & the Diaspora

Why it matters

When a new virus appears, the country that finds it is asked to share samples and genetic data quickly so that tests and vaccines can be designed. PABS decides what that country gets back. Under the 2025 agreement, drug makers in the system would give WHO quick access to a target of 20% of their output during a pandemic: at least 10% of output donated free, the rest at affordable prices. India wants such sharing rewarded with timely access to vaccines and medicines, and it speaks from experience: it supplied 300 million vaccine doses to about 100 countries during COVID-19. Until the annex is agreed, the treaty cannot even be signed, so the world would face its next outbreak without it in force.

Prelims pointers

  • World Health Assembly: WHO's decision-making body of all member states; under Article 18 of the WHO Constitution it determines the Organization's policies.
  • Article 19, WHO Constitution: the Health Assembly may adopt conventions or agreements on any matter within WHO's competence by a two-thirds vote.
  • The WHO Pandemic Agreement (2025) is the second agreement under Article 19; the first was the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (adopted 2003, in force 2005).
  • The agreement gives the WHO Secretariat, including the Director-General, no authority to direct or alter national laws or policies, or to require lockdowns, vaccination mandates or bans on travellers.
  • PABS annex: negotiated through an Intergovernmental Working Group (IGWG) set up by the 2025 World Health Assembly resolution.
  • Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC): under the International Health Regulations (2005), the WHO Director-General determines one, on Emergency Committee advice.
  • One Health: an integrated approach that seeks to balance and optimise the health of people, animals and ecosystems.

Practise a UPSC-style question

With reference to the WHO Pandemic Agreement, consider the following statements:

1. The World Health Assembly adopted it by consensus in plenary after one of its committees had approved it by vote.

2. Its PABS system aims to secure a fair share of vaccines and therapeutics for high-income countries during a pandemic.

3. Under its own terms, the agreement will enter into force after it has received 60 ratifications.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. (a) 1 and 2 only
  2. (b) 2 and 3 only
  3. (c) 1 and 3 only
  4. (d) 1, 2 and 3
Show the answer

Answer: (c) 1 and 3 only

1 is correct: Committee approval came on 19 May 2025 (124 in favour, none against, 11 abstentions), and the World Health Assembly adopted the agreement by consensus in plenary on 20 May. 2 is incorrect: PABS links the sharing of pathogens to sharing the resulting vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics, distributed by public health risk and need with particular attention to developing countries. 3 is correct: it opens for signature once the PABS annex is adopted and enters into force after 60 ratifications.

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