World Health Organization member states announced on Friday that they will continue deliberations over rules governing the sharing of pathogens, extending talks that determine when a pandemic treaty adopted in May 2025 can come into force. The extension leaves the accord's activation contingent on further agreement.
The central focus of the negotiations is the Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing annex - referred to as PABS - which sets out how countries should share data and samples of pathogens that could pose public health risks. The annex is designed to accompany the central treaty by establishing procedures intended to guarantee that countries supply potentially pandemic-causing biological material rapidly while also creating mechanisms to promote equitable access to vaccines, tests and treatments developed from those materials.
Under the terms agreed by member states, the pandemic accord cannot take effect until the PABS annex is finalized. The treaty was developed to strengthen the global response to future pandemics following the COVID-19 pandemic, and PABS is a required component for its implementation.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that negotiators had made progress but called on countries to continue working with urgency. He emphasized the continued risk of another pandemic by saying the next pandemic is "a matter of when, not if."
The extended talks will reach a conclusion whose outcome is scheduled to be presented to the World Health Assembly later in May. Until member states arrive at consensus on PABS, the broader pandemic accord remains unable to enter into force.
This development sustains uncertainty about the timeline for an operational international framework to govern pathogen sharing and benefit distribution. The continued negotiations underscore the diplomatic and technical work still required to finalize the annex before the accord can be activated.
Summary
WHO member states have prolonged negotiations on the Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing annex, delaying the activation of the pandemic treaty adopted in May 2025. The PABS annex governs how pathogen data and samples are shared and seeks to ensure equitable access to medical countermeasures. The WHO director-general noted progress but urged urgent continued work; the outcome will be presented to the World Health Assembly later in May.