WHO: Bureau’s text suggestion for “pre-qualification” raises concerns of vaccine supply concentration

Author/s
K M Gopakumar and Nithin Ramakrishnan
TWN

Text has been proposed by the Bureau of the Working Group on Amendments to the International Health Regulations 2005 (WGIHR) that seeks to make WHO prequalified vaccines as a compulsory requirement for the issuance of vaccine or prophylaxis certificates, raising concerns of vaccine supply concentration.

This took place at the recent 7th meeting of the WGIHR held from 5 to 9 February 2024.

Vaccine certificates are used as evidence of vaccination to facilitate international travel. Article 36 of the IHR states that travellers in possession of a vaccine certificate should not be denied entry unless the competent authority has verifiable indications and/or evidence that the vaccination or other prophylaxis was not effective.

However, Article 36 obligates State Parties to issue vaccine certificates as per the conditions mentioned in Annex 6 and Annex 7. Annex 6 sets out the general conditions and model certificates for vaccination/prophylaxis certificates. Annex 7 sets out the conditions and model certificates for vaccination/prophylaxis certificates for specific disease. Currently Annex 7 lists only yellow fever vaccines.

The contentious proposal is to amend Paragraphs 1 and 3 of Annex 6. These paragraphs currently states that only those vaccines or prophylaxis designated or approved by WHO should be used.