Archive · 7 Nov 2025
US Seeks Pathogen Data for Health Aid, Bypassing WHO Treaty
Imagine countries wanting to help each other stay healthy, like sharing special ingredients for medicines.
The U.S. wants countries that get its help to quickly share samples of new sickness bugs they find.
This is so the U.S. can study them.
But, some people worry that if the U.S. makes new medicines from these samples, countries that shared them might not get them easily.
This is similar to what happened with COVID-19, where poorer countries had to wait a long time for vaccines.
The U.S. is doing this with a separate agreement, which some worry might ignore the rules that global health groups, like the WHO, are trying to make.
These global rules are meant to make sure everyone gets a fair share of any health discoveries.
The U.S. says it's being transparent, but others are concerned about fairness for poorer nations.
The U.S. is seeking to condition foreign health aid on recipient countries sharing pathogen samples and genomic data within five days.
This proposed policy is outlined in a draft U.S. State Department memorandum of understanding, reflecting an 'America First' approach.
Critics argue this bilateral approach could create inequalities in accessing future medical tools, similar to the COVID-19 pandemic, and bypass WHO-led negotiations.
The proposed pathogen sharing agreement would last 25 years and covers aid through 2030.
Some officials and experts are concerned that this U.S. initiative might undermine global efforts at the WHO to establish equitable access and benefit-sharing agreements.
- Who
- The U.S. administration (Trump era) and potential recipient countries of U.S. health aid.
- What
- The U.S. is proposing that countries receiving its health aid share pathogen samples and genomic sequencing data quickly as a condition for funding.
- When
- The proposal is part of a draft document seen by Reuters, reflecting the 'America First' policy. The pathogen sharing agreement would last 25 years, and aid would be covered up to 2030.
- Where
- Global health aid recipient countries, and within ongoing negotiations at the World Health Organization (WHO).
- Why
- The U.S. aims to enhance its global health strategy by promoting transparency, accountability, and self-reliance in recipient countries. Critics believe it bypasses WHO efforts to ensure equitable access to health tools for all nations.
US Position
Critics' Concerns
Data Sharing and Access
US Position
The U.S. aims to have countries share pathogen samples and genomic sequencing data within five days of an outbreak as a condition of health aid, emphasizing transparency and accountability in its global health strategy.
Critics' Concerns
Critics fear this approach could lead to a repeat of COVID-19 pandemic inequalities, where poorer nations that identify threats first might not get equitable access to resulting drugs or vaccines, undermining global efforts at the WHO.
Impact on WHO Negotiations
US Position
The U.S. is pursuing bilateral agreements to move recipient countries towards self-reliance.
Critics' Concerns
Bilateral agreements like the one proposed by the U.S. could bypass the World Health Organization (WHO) and undermine the foundations of solidarity and equity being built in ongoing WHO negotiations for a pandemic treaty.
- U.S. Demand
- Share pathogen samples and genomic sequencing data within five days of an outbreak.
- Document Type
- Draft Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
- Aid Duration
- Covers aid up to 2030.
- Pathogen Sharing Agreement Duration
- 25 years.
- US Policy Framework
- President Trump's 'America First' policy, aiming for recipient country 'self-reliance'.
- WHO Stance
- Agency has no information about the specific U.S. document but is negotiating a pandemic treaty focused on equitable benefit sharing.