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This research examines the need for equitable pathogen access and benefit sharing to address vaccine inequity experienced by the Global South during the pandemic.

February 24, 2026Open Access

Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing in the Pandemic Agreement: Rebuttals to Global North Arguments

Key Points

This research examines the need for equitable pathogen access and benefit sharing to address vaccine inequity experienced by the Global South during the pandemic.
Review of historical vaccine distribution inequities
Analysis of genetic sequence data usage in vaccine development
Comparative assessment of Global North and Global South interests
Equitable access to pandemic products is critical for Global South countries
Global North countries have historically benefited more from vaccine supplies
Inadequate PABS systems risk repeating past vaccine distribution inequities

Abstract

For Global South countries who faced vaccine inequity during the COVID-19 pandemic, the development of an equitable Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing (PABS) system is considered to be “at the heart of the political bargain” 1 of a pandemic agreement, and is critically important to prevent a repetition of vaccine inequity in future pandemics. These countries want to ensure that they have equitable access to pandemic products developed using genetic sequence data (GSD) or digital sequence information (DSI) from their geographies. A repeat of pandemic history, where GSD was uploaded from the Global South (such as from China, and from Botswana in the case of the Omicron variant), with Global South countries receiving a lower proportion of vaccine supply, would be abhorrent.

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