Hi,

Mercantilist trade policy is making inroads in global health.

We bring you a quick update on a key development that could potentially have a significant impact on the current negotiations at the World Health Organization - where countries are working towards a multilateral mechanism for a Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing system.

In this edition, we present a framework of a Memorandum of Understanding reportedly being offered by the U.S. government to certain developing countries: aid in exchange for information on pathogens.

We are unable to publish the MoU which is reportedly a work in progress, but you will be able to download a mindmap that presents key elements of the American offer.

We are onsite at WHO trying to understand the ramifications of such a development on these negotiations. You will receive detailed updates from us on this in the coming days.

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More later.

Best,

Priti

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I. BREAKING NEWS

American Barter: Aid In Exchange for Information on Pathogens

Why is this important:

• The U.S. withdrew from the negotiations on the Pandemic Agreement in January 2025 when President Donald Trump assumed office. The U.S. is no longer a part of the negotiations on the Pathogen Access Benefit Sharing System - an annex to the Pandemic Agreement currently being discussed at World Health Organization.
• As agreed in the Pandemic Agreement, only State Parties to the Agreement (when it comes into force), can participate in the PABS system. (Whether American private actors can enter into contractual arrangements in the PABS system is still being discussed at WHO.)
• This year, the U.S. initiated massive cuts to its foreign aid, remaking global health in a matter of months, wiping out progress on key infectious diseases across countries, particularly in Africa.
• The MoU reportedly being offered to developing countries promises aid in exchange for pathogen information. See figure below.
• At the WHO, countries have been divided on whether such a information sharing system should be “closed” or “open”. A parallel track by the Americans will influence such decisions.
• The American spanner in the works, could play out in either directions. (When the U.S. withdrew in January, it bolstered other countries to come together to agree on the Pandemic Agreement in May 2025.)
• Bilateral interests are dominating considerations in Brussels and elsewhere. Current efforts by WHO member states in Geneva, might just splinter at regional and national levels driven by “to each his own”. Such a scenario would make it very difficult to achieve a multilateral mechanism governing the access to information and the sharing of benefits.
• This could potentially impact the wider agenda on Pandemic Preparedness, Prevention and Response, and indeed the entry into force of the Pandemic Agreement that hinges on a consensus on the PABS annex.
• Countries may also choose to come together to build the first ever, legally binding access and benefit sharing mechanism in global health.

How many countries will eventually choose to enter into an MoU with the U.S. is unclear at present.