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The United States and other Western allies are advocating for a deal to strengthen pandemic response regulations at a significant World Health Organization (WHO) meeting.

Western countries, led by the United States and France, are pushing for improvements in pandemic response rules. This follows a lack of agreement on a pandemic treaty last week, due to substantial differences between wealthy and developing nations over vaccine distribution and funding issues.

What is being proposed:
Various officials have proposed a “treaty” that would create an “all of government and all of society approach” to handling future pandemics. This would include a uniformed global response to any future pandemic and entail shared alert systems, data-sharing, research, and “public health counter-measures” if needed.

Despite the differences between wealthy and developing nations, there is optimism for a potential agreement on revising existing International Health Regulations (IHR). These updates include a new tiered alert system for global health emergencies. Support for the IHR agreement has also come from France and Ireland, who have called for a resolution within the week.

African nations are still calling for additional reforms, including a system that reserves at least 20% of tests, treatments, and vaccines for poorer countries in future pandemics.