The World Health Assembly (WHA), the governing body of the World Health Organization (W.H.O.) composed of its member states, formally adopted the long-debated Pandemic Agreement on Tuesday.

According to Breitbart, this international legal framework is designed to bolster global cooperation in pandemic preparedness and response by committing signatory nations to share medical technologies, enhance vaccination initiatives, and prioritize equitable healthcare distribution.

The Pandemic Agreement—which had undergone multiple revisions since its inception in 2021—was initially dubbed the “W.H.O. convention, agreement, or other international instrument on pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response,” reflecting disagreements among drafters over its final designation.

Its formation was largely a response to widespread criticism of the W.H.O.’s handling of the COVID-19 outbreak, particularly during its early stages in Wuhan, China.

Critics have pointed to the W.H.O.’s early collaboration with the Chinese Communist Party, which included opposition to travel restrictions from China, the dismissal of warnings about human-to-human transmission, and the omission of early alerts from Taiwanese authorities.

The virus, which became a global pandemic, has since claimed more than 7 million lives worldwide.

W.H.O. Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has defended the organization, attributing its limited response during the COVID-19 crisis to a lack of sufficient authority and global coordination.

He has also cited economic inequality as a key factor in the disproportionate impact of the virus on developing countries.

According to Dr. Tedros, countries with advanced pharmaceutical capabilities—primarily the United States—should ease intellectual property protections during global health emergencies to enable wider and more affordable access to medical products.

To address such concerns, the agreement establishes a Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing (PABS) system.

This initiative is aimed at promoting global collaboration by sharing both medical innovations and emerging pathogen data among nations, allowing more scientists to contribute to crisis response efforts.

The final draft of the agreement was completed in April and received 124 votes in favor during the WHA session.

According to a Reuters report, 11 countries abstained, including Iran, Israel, and Russia. Key opponents such as the United States and Argentina were notably absent from the vote, having previously withdrawn from the W.H.O.

The agreement’s opening sections emphasize the importance of “equity as a goal, principle, and outcome” in pandemic management.

It also touches on broader themes such as climate change and other socio-political considerations.

One of its most significant provisions requires manufacturers to commit, via binding contracts, to provide the W.H.O. with access to 20% of their real-time production of vaccines, treatments, and diagnostics during a declared pandemic.

The W.H.O. will be responsible for distributing these supplies based on public health needs, with an emphasis on supporting developing countries.

Furthermore, the document encourages participating states to adapt their domestic laws to ensure alignment with the agreement’s provisions.

It also calls for improved biological risk management in laboratories—an apparent acknowledgment of increasing scrutiny over the theory that COVID-19 may have originated from a lab leak in Wuhan.

The W.H.O. had previously dismissed this theory following an investigation tightly controlled by Chinese authorities in 2021.

While proponents hail the Pandemic Agreement as a step forward in global health collaboration and equity, critics warn it may infringe on national sovereignty and legal autonomy.

Its implementation and the willingness of countries to adhere to its commitments will likely determine its long-term effectiveness.