Addressing the 13th Meeting of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response (INB13), Senior Policy Advisor, Jaume Vidal, made the following statement regarding Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing:

Thank you, Chair,

A Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing (PABS) system is at the heart of any effective response to pandemics and health emergencies. The absence of a PABS system is at the core of existing imbalances in manufacturing capability, access to health technologies and morbidity rates. 

Clearly, reaching agreement on PABS remains a challenge, and we appreciate that compromise is necessary. However, we believe that is impossible to ensure equality without considering the specific needs of developing countries. Pharmaceutical companies and their host countries have a stake in a working PABS system to produce vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics.

We need a clear, enforceable mechanism to identify all users of the PABS biological material and sequence information. The PABS system must be subject to acceptance of legally binding terms and conditions, includingconcrete commitments to provide fair and equitable benefit-sharing (at least 20% of real time production).

Along with public interest Civil Society organisations from across the globe we demand:

• the PABS system contain legally binding commitments on users to provide annual monetary benefit sharing as well as manufacturing licenses to quickly diversify production and meet heightened demands during health emergencies (PHEICs and pandemics). 
• the PABS system must be administered and coordinated by WHO with relevant  oversight.

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Download the full statement.