WHO Members Extend Pandemic Treaty PABS Annex Negotiations

WHO member states formally agreed on May 1, 2026 to extend negotiations on the critical Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing (PABS) annex of the WHO Pandemic Agreement, which was adopted in May 2025 but cannot open for ratification until the annex is finalized. The Intergovernmental Working Group (IGWG) scheduled a seventh meeting for July 6–17, 2026. Experts project that entry into force — requiring ratification by 60 countries — is at minimum one to two years away. The U.S. withdrawal from WHO under the Trump administration remains a major obstacle to the treaty's universality.