WHO Concludes Eighth Round of Pandemic Agreement Talks, PABS Annex Still Unresolved

WHO member states concluded the eighth meeting of the Intergovernmental Working Group (IGWG) on the WHO Pandemic Agreement, a five-day hybrid session held in Geneva September 14-18, 2026. Negotiators advanced but did not finalize the Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) annex, which would govern rapid sharing of pathogen samples and genetic sequence data alongside equitable access to resulting vaccines and treatments. The talks were held ahead of the Second UN General Assembly High-Level Meeting on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response on September 25.