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BumRushDaShow

(156,766 posts) Sat Jul 19, 2025, 04:28 AM Saturday

US rejects WHO pandemic changes to global health rules

Source: Reuters

July 18, 2025 4:42 PM EDT Updated 11 hours ago

WASHINGTON, July 18 (Reuters) - The United States has rejected amendments adopted in 2024 by members of the World Health Organization to its legally binding health rules aimed at improving preparedness for future pandemics following the disjointed global response to COVID-19.

The Department of State and Department of Health and Human Services said in a statement they had transmitted on Friday the official U.S. rejection of the amendments to the International Health Regulations, which were adopted by consensus last year. The amendments introduced a new category of "pandemic emergency" for the most significant and globally threatening health crises in an effort to shore up the world's defenses against new pathogens.

"Developed without adequate public input, these amendments expand the role of the WHO in public health emergencies, create additional authorities for the WHO for shaping pandemic declarations, and promote WHO's ability to facilitate 'equitable access' of health commodities," the U.S. statement said.

"Terminology throughout the 2024 amendments is vague and broad, risking WHO-coordinated international responses that focus on political issues like solidarity, rather than rapid and effective actions," said the statement, jointly issued by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/us-rejects-who-pandemic-changes-global-health-rules-2025-07-18/

4 replies

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US rejects WHO pandemic changes to global health rules (Original Post) BumRushDaShow Saturday OP

Bob and Rubio are really bad people. travelingthrulife Saturday #1

What the amendments say, and a thought: snot Saturday #2

Turnip denied that the pandemic was real AT ALL. Sharing accurate data would prove it was. That's all it is. eppur_se_muova Saturday #3

I would interpret "pathogen data" to include data about the pathogen(s) - snot Saturday #4

travelingthrulife

(2,886 posts)

1. Bob and Rubio are really bad people.

Reply to BumRushDaShow (Original post)

Sat Jul 19, 2025, 10:21 AM

Saturday

Next pandemic will be much worse.

snot

(11,207 posts)

2. What the amendments say, and a thought:

Reply to BumRushDaShow (Original post)

Sat Jul 19, 2025, 01:54 PM

Saturday

Here's a summary, though I'm not certain if it's the best available: https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-9550/ .

Note, it says:

Reports suggest that the main contentious issues in negotiations were over the sharing of pandemic-related health products via donations and affordable / not-for-profit pricing for developing states, and the corresponding sharing of pathogen data, known as the Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing System. .... "Claims that the draft agreement will cede sovereignty to WHO and will give the WHO secretariat power to impose lockdowns or vaccine mandates on countries are false and have never been requested nor proposed. This agreement will not, and cannot, grant sovereignty to WHO."

If those characterizations are accurate, I can't help wondering whether our or other advanced countries' real objections might relate to their so-called "defensive" bioweapons research. I think the consensus accepted even by US authorities at this point is that Covid-19 probably did result from a leak from the Wuhan lab, which we were funding. For better or worse, requirements that we "share pathogen data" could be seen as a problem for those, likely including the U.S., who want to continue such research.

eppur_se_muova

(39,442 posts)

3. Turnip denied that the pandemic was real AT ALL. Sharing accurate data would prove it was. That's all it is.

Reply to snot (Reply #2)

Sat Jul 19, 2025, 05:11 PM

Saturday

Strictly CYA for the Con Artist in Chief.

snot

(11,207 posts)

4. I would interpret "pathogen data" to include data about the pathogen(s) -

Reply to eppur_se_muova (Reply #3)

Sat Jul 19, 2025, 05:17 PM

Saturday

not just data about the epidemic, such as the death toll. Data about the pathogens would surely include sharing news about new strains, for example; but I can't help but suspect that the drafters of the language hoped it could also capture news about lab leaks, given that several countries are known to be conducting highly dangerous bioweapons research.

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