The proposed pandemic accord is an international agreement that would set out the rules for how countries should prevent, prepare for, and respond to pandemics. The accord is being negotiated by the World Health Organization (WHO) and its member states.
There is some concern that corporations are trying to gain control over the negotiations for the pandemic accord. Some organizations have accused corporations of lobbying for provisions that would benefit their interests, such as provisions that would protect intellectual property rights for pharmaceutical companies or that would make it easier for corporations to profit from pandemics.
The WHO has denied that corporations are trying to control the negotiations, but it has acknowledged that corporations have been involved in the process. The WHO has said that it is important to have the input of all stakeholders, including corporations, in order to develop a successful pandemic accord.
Some organizations that have criticized the proposed pandemic accord include:
Health Action International (HAI)
Knowledge Ecology International (KEI)
Oxfam America
People's Vaccine Alliance (PVA)
Public Citizen
STOPAIDS
These organizations have raised concerns about the following aspects of the proposed accord:
*The lack of transparency in the negotiation process
*The lack of accountability mechanisms for countries that fail to comply with the accord
*The potential for the accord to be used to restrict trade and travel
*The lack of focus on equity and access to health care
WHO has defended the proposed pandemic accord, arguing that it is necessary to strengthen global cooperation and coordination in order to prevent future pandemics. The WHO has also said that the accord will be open for public consultation before it is finalized.
It remains to be seen whether the proposed pandemic accord will be successful. The accord faces a number of challenges, including the need to balance the interests of different countries and the need to ensure that the accord is not too complex or bureaucratic.
He drew comparisons with the efforts by the tobacco industry to derail negotiations at the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.
“The same thing is happening now. Groups with vested interests are claiming falsely that the accord is a power grab by WHO, and that it will stymie innovation and research. Both claims are completely false,” Tedros continued.
“I need to put this plainly: those who peddle lies about this historic agreement are endangering the health and safety of future generations.”
*The lack of accountability mechanisms for countries that fail to comply with the accord
*The potential for the accord to be used to restrict trade and travel
*The lack of focus on equity and access to health care
WHO has defended the proposed pandemic accord, arguing that it is necessary to strengthen global cooperation and coordination in order to prevent future pandemics. The WHO has also said that the accord will be open for public consultation before it is finalized.
It remains to be seen whether the proposed pandemic accord will be successful. The accord faces a number of challenges, including the need to balance the interests of different countries and the need to ensure that the accord is not too complex or bureaucratic.
Contrasting views
WHO
WHO Director General cautioned that cautioned that just as mis- and disinformation undermined the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic, they are undermining efforts “to keep the world safer from future pandemics.”
He drew comparisons with the efforts by the tobacco industry to derail negotiations at the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.
“The same thing is happening now. Groups with vested interests are claiming falsely that the accord is a power grab by WHO, and that it will stymie innovation and research. Both claims are completely false,” Tedros continued.
“I need to put this plainly: those who peddle lies about this historic agreement are endangering the health and safety of future generations.”
Health Policy Watch
https://healthpolicy-watch.news/exclusive-updated-pandemic-accord-draft-sees-watered-down-text-on-publicly-funded-r-pathogen-access-and-benefit-sharing-linkage-remain/
International NGOs and activists have called out the US for siding with China to exclude the public from seeing drafts of the pandemic accord as it is being negotiated by World Health Organization (WHO) member states.
International NGOs and activists have called out the US for siding with China to exclude the public from seeing drafts of the pandemic accord as it is being negotiated by World Health Organization (WHO) member states.
“The attempt to create a veil of secrecy now surrounding the substantive and technical text-based negotiations on the WHO pandemic treaty sets a dangerous precedent for norm-setting at the multilateral level,” the group says in a letter sent on Wednesday to the US Secretary of Health & Human Services, Xavier Becerra, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
Excluding the public “undermines trust in the process at a time when attacks on the WHO and on the pandemic accord are increasing”, according to the letter signatories, which include Health Action International (HAI), Knowledge Ecology International (KEI), Oxfam America, People’s Vaccine Alliance (PVA), Public Citizen and STOPAIDS.
“It’s basically a huge step back from countries wielding the power of the law to regulate, and more reliance on voluntary measures,” said Moon. “There are a lot more references to ‘as appropriate’ – I think the phrase is used some 47 times.”
On the other side of the fence, the new text still contains references linking pharma’s access to pathogen samples or genomic data with the sharing of “benefits” from health products produced as a result.
That is something that has been hotly opposed by pharma leaders -who have said that unconditional access to pathogen data is critical to creating new drugs quickly in response to emerging threats.
While couched in the language of multiple “options”, one proposed clause also preserves a “Zero draft” reference to a 20% ‘set-aside’ of new pharma products for low-income countries, to be distributed through WHO.
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