
The World Health Organization’s members have blown the deadline to reach an agreement on how to handle the next global pandemic after two years of negotiations failed to get consensus.
The draft treaty focused on closing the vaccine gap between the west and developing countries, and a “Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing System,” whereby countries would give the WHO samples and genetic sequences of potentially dangerous pathogens. In return, the WHO would contract vaccine manufacturers and provide participating nations with 20% of the vaccines they need.
Members disagreed on the fairness and cost of implementing the treaty.
The World Health Assembly (WHA) now must try to find a path forward at its annual meeting in Geneva on Monday.