WHO Member States have advanced negotiations on the Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing (PABS) annex, a central component of the WHO Pandemic Agreement, while agreeing that continued discussions are needed to finalize a framework that supports a faster, more effective and equitable response to future pandemics. According to the World Health Organization, the seventh meeting of the Intergovernmental Working Group (IGWG) on the Pandemic Agreement concluded in Geneva following two weeks of intensive talks aimed at streamlining the draft text.
Negotiations and Core Elements of the PABS System
During the Geneva sessions, participating countries reaffirmed their commitment to developing a system that enables the rapid sharing of pathogens with pandemic potential. At the same time, the framework aims to ensure the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from their use, including pandemic vaccines, diagnostics, and therapeutics. Member States streamlined the draft text while tackling complex structural issues to move closer to final consensus.
Discussions centered on several interrelated elements, according to WHO reports:
- Contractual arrangements underpinning the operational framework.
- The structure of laboratory networks responsible for sharing and handling pathogens with pandemic potential, alongside their sequence information.
- Precise definitions of benefits arising from pathogen sharing.
"While differences remain, those differences can be bridged if we keep our shared goal in sight: a world where pathogens and scientific information are shared rapidly, and the benefits they generate are shared fairly and equitably."
Path Forward and Timeline to 2026
Finalizing the PABS annex is a critical step toward enabling countries to consider the signature and ratification of the WHO Pandemic Agreement, which seeks to strengthen global health security and pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response for future generations. The World Health Assembly originally adopted the overarching agreement in May 2025 through resolution WHA78.1.
“Over the past two weeks, we have made meaningful progress on some of the most technically and politically complex elements of the PABS annex,” said IGWG Bureau Co-Chair Ambassador Tovar da Silva Nunes of Brazil. “The remaining issues are challenging, but we have a clear path to completing this important work.”
IGWG Bureau Co-Chair Mr. Matthew Harpur echoed that assessment, stating that the progress reflects a shared determination to deliver a robust and equitable system. The Intergovernmental Working Group has scheduled its eighth meeting to take place from September 14 to 18, 2026, where delegates will continue negotiations toward a finalized annex.
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