The deadline for the WHO pandemic treaty agreement is missed.
The World Health Organization's member states have not convened in time to reach a consensus on a worldwide convention to combat pandemics in the future. They intend to talk about future steps during the WHO general session, which begins in Switzerland the following week.
Based on the lessons learnt during the COVID-19 pandemic, the WHO members started having discussions two years ago. To stop the spread of novel viruses, negotiators had considered methods to bolster international anti-infection efforts.
But no document was adopted by the end of the sessions on Friday.
The sharing of pathogen knowledge and the transfer of technologies were the main topics of contention.
The provision of vaccines was desired by developing countries, but rich nations voiced concerns about the potential effects on their pharmaceutical companies.
In an appeal for more talks, World Health Assembly Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated, "We need to use the World Health Assembly to re-energize us and finish the job at hand, which is to present the world with a generational pandemic agreement."
He continued, "The world still needs a pandemic treaty."