The Vice-Chair of the Bureau of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB), Dr. Viroj Tangcharoensathien of Thailand, has proposed a new timeline of May 2026 to conclude negotiations on a Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing (PABS) System.
The Vice-Chair made this proposal in his presentation during the informal session on Article 12 held on 8 April at the WHO Headquarters in Geneva, a hybrid mode. The last slide of his presentation contains the new timeline, which states: “Terms, conditions and operational modalities of the PABS System shall be further defined in a legally binding instrument that is operational no later than 31 May 2026”.
This new proposal comes at a time when the INB Bureau is mandated to propose a revised draft for the pandemic instrument to be negotiated during the resumed 9th meeting of INB that will take place from 29 April to 10 May. The proposal ignores critical elements of developing country proposals, while it makes explicit reference to the elements proposed by the developed countries.