The WHO pandemic treaty: where are we on our scepticism?

⇒ The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed deep fault lines in global governance of health emergencies, in particular the inadequacies of an existing mechanism-the international health regulations (IHRs)-in ensuring equitable access to medical countermeasures during emergencies.⇒ Hard lessons are already spurring discussions on how best to transform pandemic prevention, preparedness and response, including a revision of the IHRs, a treaty on pandemics and more recently, the WHO has begun a consultative process to design a platform for medical counter measures ⇒ Substantive provision of the pandemic treaty zerodraft text reflects concerns on equity; however, incentives the pandemic treaty could offer political leaders or pharmaceutical companies that would make them behave differently during another outbreak are still vague.⇒ The COVID-19 pandemic revealed the need to boost production of biotechnology solutions where they are needed domestically in order to strengthen access and supply chains for all types of pandemic-related products during emergencies and interpandemic periods.⇒ The WHO platforms for medical countermeasures must be organised around national and regional ownership that engender locally and regionally driven solutions, adaptable to local health needs and context to stop epidemics when and wherever they occur.