Member States of the World Health Organization (WHO) agreed to extend negotiations on the Annex on Pathogen Access and Benefit-sharing (PABS) of the WHO Pandemic Agreement. Talks will resume at the end of April, before the final text is examined at the World Health Assembly (WHA) in May. From March 23 to 27, Member States held formal and informal meetings within the framework of the Intergovernmental Working Group on the WHO Pandemic Agreement. During those days, negotiators addressed critical issues related to PABS, including the definition of benefits derived from the sharing of pathogens with pandemic potential and how such benefits will be distributed among member countries. Contracts regulating the system and the necessary governance mechanisms to ensure transparency and the effective functioning of the annex were also discussed. The main objective of the PABS annex is to establish a system that allows for the rapid and equitable sharing of pathogens, as well as the fair distribution of the benefits obtained from their use. It is designed to enhance global equity in accessing the benefits derived from scientific research and to ensure that all countries, regardless of their level of development, have effective tools to face future health emergencies. The goal is to finalize the text and present it for adoption at the World Health Assembly in May. The PABS agreement is considered a fundamental component of the WHO Pandemic Agreement. This measure responds to the need for a stronger regulatory framework after the deficiencies observed during the COVID-19 pandemic and seeks to strengthen international cooperation in preparing for and responding to future health crises. Despite the progress made in March, Member States recognized that differences still persist in some technical aspects of the annex, so they agreed to continue negotiations from April 27 to May 1, with informal debates between sessions. This includes vaccines, diagnostics, and therapeutic treatments derived from pathogen research.
