The provisional text indicates that the response to these threats “must be proportionate, limited to health risks and avoid unnecessary interference with international traffic and commerce”
GENEVA – A World Health Organization (WHO) presented this Tuesday 6, the conceptual draft of an international treaty, convention or similar legal instrument to combat the future pandemics, which, among other things, proposes greater transparency for pharmaceutical companies or for permanent drug distribution networks. The draft was presented to the third meeting of the intergovernmental negotiating delegation – which began on the 2nd of the 5th and will last until the 7th of the 4th -, as a possible initial text, even if the commission in charge of drafting it should only be created between February and March 2023 and construction is not expected to be completed until 2024.
In the first lines, the draft underlines that “the threat of pandemics is a reality, and they have catastrophic consequences in terms of health, economics and politics”, thus “the lessons of covid” and recent epidemics, such as those of ebola, zika or also monkeypox (renamed Mpox), we were taught. The provisional text also indicates that the response to these threats “must be proportionate, limited to health risks and must avoid unnecessary interference with international traffic and trade”.
In the practical application parts of the treaty, the construction of a global system of production and distribution of products is suggested to respond to a pandemic, in order to avoid a repetition of the supply problems that covid has highlighted, especially in early 2020 , when even the masks were missing.
It also proposes the development of technology and knowledge transfer mechanisms to combat pathogens with pandemic potential, which could include the suspension of patents, which according to the project “constitute a barrier to the production” of medicines and other tools against pandemics. This would contrast with what happened in the covid pandemic, in which vaccine patents were only suspended in mid-2022, after arduous negotiations in the World Trade Organization (WTO), and are currently still valid in the case of treatments and diagnoses .
In addition, the draft provides for the guarantee of public funding for vaccines, treatments and other products against possible pandemics, and the adoption of measures to limit confidentiality clauses in commercial contracts between pharmaceutical companies and states. For these pharmaceutical companies, the draft treaty would ask them “for greater transparency in the funding of research and development of products for the response to the pandemic”. In this sense, these companies, for example, should make public their prices and contractual conditions for the sale of medicines, vaccines and other products against pandemics in the States.
It also proposes improving preparedness and response systems, the capabilities of health workers to “protect their jobs and well-being” and the development of national pandemic response plans that “identify priority populations” for access to care sanitary. It also suggests that countries conduct periodic simulations of their systems’ pandemic preparedness and measures to combat the disinformation that has circulated widely during the COVID health crisis.
The text suggests the creation of a governing body of the treaty, which would meet periodically in the form of a conference of the parties, following the example of what has been done, for example, by the signatory countries of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
In this week’s meetings, WHO is also proposing an agenda to continue the negotiations which would imply a fourth meeting of the intergovernmental group in February and March 2023, already with a drafting committee on the project. More will follow until a ninth and final meeting in March 2024, with a final text ready in March for possible signing at the organization’s annual meeting in May./EFE
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Source: Terra
Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.
