Opinion: We need a global pandemic treaty - before it's too late

Pandemic Prevention Treaty: A Must-Have for Our Future Generations 🌐

As the largest vaccine manufacturer globally, we recognize and appreciate the efforts of international communities in the last two years. However, we also understand that more needs to be done. During this week's World Economic Forum, where world leaders gather, I hope they collaborate to create a healthier and safer future for future generations.

Creating vaccines or treatments that prevent the spread of diseases, rather than just reducing hospitalizations and deaths, will contribute to controlling the virus. Countries must collaborate multipartially to provide fair and accessible vaccines and treatments for all.

So, what lessons have we learned? How can we prevent fragmented efforts during the next pandemic?

This year, roughly 11 billion doses of Covid-19 vaccines were produced, but their distribution isn't equal. To establish a fair global healthcare system, a global pandemic treaty should be passed, aiming to create a common regulatory framework, enabling knowledge exchange, resource allocation, and a transparent system for vaccine certificate approvals.

Given the devastation and catastrophic human losses that Covid-19 has caused in the past two years, it's crucial that systems exist to prevent the next pandemic. While I'm aware that a global treaty won't solve all our problems, countries still need to invest in their healthcare systems and create flexible disease recognition systems for emerging diseases.

Beyond that, we still require strong political will and multilateral cooperation among countries to develop a globally coordinated response to any disease-causing agent.

A robust treaty should include at least these four pillars:

1. Free circulation of raw materials and vaccines among key pharmaceutical countries and enterprises: Countries should commit to exporting at least 25% of their own products. Let's hope that more countries succeed in building their capabilities in the coming years.
2. Sharing intellectual property for groundbreaking technologies on a commercial basis and reward innovators who scale up production of diagnostics, treatments, and vaccines in various parts of the world during a global pandemic. For example, partnerships between vaccine manufacturers and suppliers have significantly reduced the time required for world-wide dissemination and distribution of vaccines, potentially saving countless lives.
3. Consistent global regulatory standards: Clinical trial and production standards should be agreed upon and monitored by leading multilateral health organizations like the World Health Organization. This will allow more manufacturers to create treatments and vaccines that adhere to good manufacturing and quality practices more quickly. It could also help clarify misinformation about various treatments and vaccines, reducing skepticism and news vaccine preferences.
4. Universal digital travel vaccine certificate system: This could significantly address authentication and acceptance issues for travelers during potential future lockdowns.

These elements are just a few suggestions for how governments and international health organizations could respond more quickly and effectively to future pandemics. A treaty could also provide a fair and predefined framework for mobilizing political will and supporting leaders in their countries during crises.

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These elements, along with others, are just a few suggestions that governments and international health organizations could use to react more quickly and effectively to future pandemics. A treaty could also provide a fair and predefined framework to mobilize political will and support leaders in their countries during crises.

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Enrichment Data:

Adar Poonawalla's opinion piece on CNN Opinion isn't directly referred to in the provided sources. However, the elements of a global pandemic treaty to prevent future pandemics and ensure equitable access to treatments can be inferred from various sources' discussions:

1. Equitable Access and Global Cooperation:
2. The WHO Pandemic Agreement aims to create an international legal framework that encourages better cooperation, transparency, and equity during future pandemics, prioritizing support for vulnerable countries.
3. Supply Chain and Logistics:
4. The agreement proposes a Global Supply Chain and Logistics Network to remove barriers and ensure efficient distribution of medical countermeasures.
5. Research and Development:
6. The treaty aims to create interconnected research, technology transfer, and supply chain management systems emphasizing operationalizing equity to provide developing countries with access to necessary resources and technologies.
7. Pathogen Data Sharing:
8. A multilateral cooperation mechanism for pathogen data sharing is proposed, linking access to pathogen information to the sharing of resulting medical countermeasures.
9. Health System Resilience:
10. Countries are expected to develop, strengthen, and maintain a resilient health system, prioritizing primary health care, pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response.
11. Regulatory Systems Strengthening:
12. The agreement includes provisions for strengthening regulatory systems to ensure that health products are safely and effectively distributed globally.
13. Financial Support and Sustainability:
14. Sustainable financing is vital, ensuring that countries have predictable, sustainable, and sufficient resources to address pandemics.
15. Public Awareness and Communication:
16. Effective communication and public awareness are essential for the treaty's success, ensuring all stakeholders are informed and engaged in pandemic prevention and response efforts.

These elements combine to create a robust framework for preventing, preparing for, and responding to pandemics while ensuring equitable access to treatments and resources worldwide.