Global Pandemic Treaty Stalls as Pabs Annex Deadline Missed

Negotiators failed to finalize the pathogen access and benefit sharing (Pabs) annex of the WHO pandemic treaty before the May 2026 World Health Assembly. The impasse pushed the expected approval of the annex to the 2027 Assembly.

The Guardian

The WHO Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response, co-chaired by former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark, recommended a global treaty after reviewing the COVID-19 response. The resulting pandemic treaty was adopted in May 2025 and praised as a major public-health achievement.

The Guardian

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has urged rapid progress. The Group for Equity and the Africa Group demand a mandatory contract obligating pharmaceutical firms to share products derived from shared pathogens. Several European countries argue compulsory sharing could hinder research, proposing a hybrid model of mandatory and voluntary provisions.

The Guardian

The treaty enters into force 30 days after at least 60 countries ratify it. As of May 2026, the treaty has not reached this threshold, and the Pabs annex remains unsigned.

The Guardian

The Pabs framework governs how pathogen samples are shared and how resulting vaccines, diagnostics, and treatments are allocated, directly affecting equity between high-income and low-income nations. Without it, future outbreaks risk repeating the supply gaps seen during COVID-19.

The Guardian

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus urged continued urgency, noting the next pandemic is a matter of when, not if. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Helen Clark called the missed deadline deeply regrettable and warned the world remains largely unprepared. Negotiators indicated the need for more time, proposing the 2027 WHA as the next milestone.

The Guardian

The Group for Equity and the Africa Group argue mandatory sharing is essential for fair access to medical products in low-income countries. European states counter that compulsory obligations could impede research, favoring a hybrid model that blends mandatory and voluntary elements.

The Guardian

• “If a new pathogen emerged today, the world remains largely unprepared for it. A lack of action to prevent and prepare for the next pandemic threat is a disservice to humanity,” — Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Helen Clark, co-chairs of the WHO Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response.

The Guardian

• “continue approaching the outstanding issues with a sense of urgency because the next pandemic is a matter of when, not if” — Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.

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• “deeply regrettable” — Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Helen Clark, co-chairs of the WHO Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response.

The Guardian

• “a victory for public health” — Observers describing the May 2025 pandemic treaty.

The Guardian

Negotiators plan to reconvene before the 2027 World Health Assembly to finalize the Pabs annex, after which the treaty could enter into force once the 60-country ratification threshold is met.

The Guardian