COVID-19 and Pandemic Response
The International Health Regulations (2005) are the main international legal framework for pandemic preparation, prevention, and response. Despite its legally binding nature, many countries have not complied with their obligations under the treaty, leaving them unprepared for the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has also revealed many other gaps in the global legal infrastructure, such as limitations to the WHO’s powers, the absence of mechanisms for preventing zoonotic disease spillovers, and the lack of legal instruments ensuring fair and equitable access to medicines and vaccines. Discussions concerning a new pandemic treaty and other needed reforms are currently underway within the WHO and the global health community at large.
