Document Type : Commentary
Authors
1
Department of Public Health, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
2
Centre for Social Impact, College of Business Government and Law, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia
3
Nossal Institute for Global Health, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
4
School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
5
School of Regulation and Global Governance, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
6
Centre for Law and Genetics, Faculty of Law, College of Arts, Law and Education, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, Australia
Abstract
Borges and colleagues rightly argue that an international treaty is needed to curtail the profit-driven behaviour of the pharmaceutical industry during pandemics. The Pandemic Agreement currently being negotiated by Member States of the World Health Organization (WHO) offers an important opportunity to equip nation states with greater leverage over industry behaviour. In this commentary, we examine the potential of current draft textual proposals for the Pandemic Agreement to redirect pharmaceutical behaviour in future pandemics. However, the future of the Agreement negotiations remains uncertain in the wake of the failure to conclude negotiations in time for the 2024 World Health Assembly (WHA). Further, there is limited consensus over proposals that could enable nation states to have greater leverage over industry behaviour. A concerted effort will need to be made to achieve a consensus text that shifts the status quo by giving nation states more power to curtail the self-interest of the pharmaceutical industry.
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