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Refugee and migrant health system review in Lithuania
Lithuania has experienced a substantial increase in the number of refugees and migrants, particularly following the 2021 Belarus border situation and the mass displacement from Ukraine in 2022. By late 2024, over 91,000 Ukrainians had been cumulatively registered in Lithuania, with about 47,000 holding valid temporary protection status. This increase, alongside sizeable communities of Belarusian nationals, Russian citizens and other regular migrants covered under compulsory health insurance contributions, has brought new challenges for Lithuania’s health system, especially related to continuity of care, interpretation support and equitable access across municipalities. This report presents the findings of a joint review of the health system in Lithuania, conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO) in close collaboration with the Ministry of Health of Lithuania, and other partners. The review examines the capacity of Lithuania’s health system to provide services for refugees and migrants. It focuses on the health challenges facing refugees and migrants, the policies and systems in place to address these challenges, and the opportunities to strengthen long-term health system capacity. Furthermore, the report offers practical recommendations for addressing the barriers refugees and migrants face in accessing health services.
WHO launches call for high-level experts to join the Science Council
The World Health Organization (WHO) is today soliciting the interest of internationally-renowned experts to serve on its Science Council, one of the Organization’s highest-level advisory bodies to the WHO Director-General.
Broncos vs. Packers third quarter recap
Jordan Love and the Green Bay Packers were unstoppable in the first half completing 17/22 for 215 yards and and touchdown, though they only took a two-point lead into halftime. They would get the ball to start the second half too with the Denver Broncos looking to finally make a stop that wouldn’t end in […]
The Galaxy Z TriFold is an impressive feat of innovation, but here's why it leaves me concerned
Samsung is finally releasing the Galaxy Z TriFold, but it might not be a slam dunk
Nearly half of the 19,000 games released on Steam this year went almost unnoticed
Those numbers point to a widening gap between output and engagement on the world's largest PC game marketplace. Steam's open publishing model has dramatically lowered the barrier...
Can you really trust your gut? The science of acting on intuition
The expert who says gut feelings can help us to make the best decisions.
Missouri sports betting market officially launched: Snag $3,000 in sportsbook sign-up bonuses today
Missourians can now place sports bets with mobile apps and get Missouri sports betting offers for the Missouri betting launch
Scientists finally sequence the vampire squid's huge genome, revealing secrets of the 'living fossil'
The genetic link between squids and octopuses may just be found in the vampire squid genome.
Florida's Latino families being squeezed financially by high health care, child care costs
The findings, released by Abriendo Puertas/Opening Doors and UnidosUS, the nation's largest Hispanic civil rights group, paint a portrait of a rapidly growing electorate that is highly engaged on economic and social issues but increasingly strained by the rising cost of living in the Sunshine State.
Six Months Later, the Switch 2 Proves It Has Staying Power
There's no other handheld offering what the Nintendo Switch 2 does at its price.
Tanning bed users are at higher risk of skin cancer, especially in unusual places
Indoor tanning is trending among Gen Z. A new study finds tanning bed users not only have a much higher risk of melanoma, they also have DNA damage linked to cancer across nearly their entire skin.
Is This Entertainment, America?
2-year-old Sizzling Hottie, said the chart for Evangeline Friday, "fell leaving the gate" and was eventually ambulanced off. Here is how that looked...
Indiana's redistricting debate was unlike any I've covered. Here's why
Typically redistricting is a wonky topic with little public appeal. Not this time.
Samsung Is in Talks With AMD to Supply 2nm Chips, Potentially for EPYC Venice CPUs, as the Foundry Emerges as a Serious TSMC Challenger
Samsung is now in talks with AMD to supply its SF2 (2nm) process for next-gen CPUs, as the Korean giant aims for a massive foundry comeback.
Florida's Latino families being squeezed financially by high health care, child care costs
The findings, released by Abriendo Puertas/Opening Doors and UnidosUS, the nation's largest Hispanic civil rights group, paint a portrait of a rapidly growing electorate that is highly engaged on economic and social issues but increasingly strained by the rising cost of living in the Sunshine State.
Will concert tickets ever be accessible in Canada?
Most people are familiar with the pains associated with buying tickets for high-profile events: Face value tickets are expensive — if they’re even available, and tickets often sell out fast, only to pop up on resale sites, where they’re sold for exorbitant prices. But there are ways to push back, experts say, especially as people voice increasing dissatisfaction.
Galaxy S26 series' trump card has finally leaked
The best AI features might be exclusive to the Galaxy S26.
Aspyr explains how it approached the Nintendo Switch 2 version of Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition, patches planned
In a recent interview with Nintendo Everything, Aspyr explained how it approached the recently-released Nintendo Switch 2 version of Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition. There’s been a lot of talk about the port since the launch last month. Especially given that there’s also a version for the original Nintendo Switch, some have speculated that the Switch 2 version is based on...
WATCH: Trump calls deadly shooting at Brown University 'a terrible thing' and 'a shame'
President Donald Trump said late Saturday afternoon that he had been briefed on the shooting at Brown University that killed at least two people and critically wounded eight.
Civics vs. politics with UW-La Crosse political scientist Chergosky
We’re back on La Crosse Talk PM with UW-La Crosse political science professor Dr. Anthony Chergosky, who helps us take a deep dive into civics vs. politics. Before we get to that, we had to reset after nearly a year away from the Friday slot. The last PM show we did, Chergosky was ironically trying […]
Brandon Aiyuk's 2025 season officially ends with 0 games played and Niners future in doubt
Aiyuk and the Niners appear headed to a divorce in the coming months.
Crowd rallies in Lewiston in support of Somalis
Speakers at the Lewiston rally pushed back against Trump’s recent comments about Somalis: “We are Americans. We are citizens, right? He should respect us and protect us and serve us like any other American.”
CNN’s Jake Tapper Finally Calls BS on White House Over Trump’s Health
Jake Tapper said the White House is “not telling us” the truth about Trump after a frazzled Karoline Leavitt finally responded to the Daily Beast’s queries.
A Kinect for kids is outselling Xbox to become the hot toy this holiday
The Nex Playground is basically Kinect for kids, and it’s outselling Microsoft’s Xbox, shaking up the console market this holiday.
Josh O'Connor felt 'punked' filming 'Knives Out': Always 'raining on me, never on Daniel Craig'
Josh O'Connor says he felt 'punked' while filming 'Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery' totally soaked and covered in mud for most of production: 'Always seemed to be raining on me and never on Daniel Craig.'
Oddsmakers' expectations for Philip Rivers' return against the Seahawks: 'I don't really have a clue'
Missouri sports betting market officially launched: Snag $3,000 in sportsbook sign-up bonuses now
Missourians can now place sports bets with mobile apps and get Missouri sports betting offers for the Missouri betting launch
iOS 26.2—Apple Confirms Critical Update For 1 Billion iPhones
Apple's update is finally here — and it includes urgent fixes.
Tomb Raider Co-Creator Doesn't Seem Too Impressed With Legacy Of Atlantis
"Personally I'd prefer exploring new lost worlds than another remake/remaster/reimagining."
Teen’s video a ‘Breakthrough’ in science communication
Seventeen-year-old Grace Lee from Chula Vista is gaining national attention as a finalist in the global Breakthrough Junior Challenge, an annual competition that invites students to create original videos explaining complex scientific ideas in creative and engaging ways. Founded in 2015, the contest encourages young people to break down advanced scientific theories using imagination and storytelling— “Steven Spielberg meets Albert Einstein,” as organizers describe it. Lee’s submission centers on the principle of least time in physics, a concept that explains why light always travels the path that takes the least amount of time. To bring the idea to life, she used intricate origami characters and stop-motion animation, along with simple at-home experiments, she said. “The fact that light always travels via the path that takes the least amount of time sounds simple at first, but nature is full of surprises,” she said. “This principle is actually very profound and underlies many different fields in physics that seem completely unrelated, from optics to Newton’s laws to Einstein’s theory of relativity.” Also, origami has long been one of her passions and integrating it into her project felt natural. She often makes origami gifts for friends and teaches origami in her school clubs. “A single 10-second scene would take hours to craft,” she said, noting the mixture of stop-motion and post-production editing required to animate expressions and movement. To ensure the science remained accurate and accessible, she spent time reading books and online resources, writing a script, creating a storyboard, and filming and editing repeatedly until the visuals worked.The experiments were among the biggest challenges. To demonstrate water waves, she used everyday household items — “a spatula and an electric toothbrush to vibrate the waves, glass in a baking pan for different depths, and an iPhone flashlight so the waves would be visible.” She also put careful thought into explaining the principle through analogies, including a gingerbread man and a fox. “Analogies and visuals are incredibly important,” she said. “Visual demonstrations allow viewers to see how the science actually works.” Beyond the competition, Lee is deeply involved in science leadership and advocacy. She serves as International President of miRcore, the world’s largest student computational biology organization, with 136 chapters across five countries. She leads a 20-member executive board, organizes outreach connecting schools worldwide, and has helped run workshops at locations including Scripps Research Institute and the University of Michigan. “I used to be intimidated,” she said, but she gradually grew her skills and confidence. “Now I am no longer afraid to use my voice and enthusiasm to bring out the best in others.” Her research experience includes two peer-reviewed papers on asthma and vaping. Misconceptions around vaping, she said, show why clear science communication matters. “Our research shows that there is long-term harm to your lungs on the cellular level that isn’t obvious unless you come down with an illness like the flu,” she said. Lee also founded Full Hearts at Eastlake High School, transforming the small club into one of the school’s largest, with hands-on service projects in partnership with local nonprofits. She continues mentoring younger students to sustain the mission. If she wins the Breakthrough Junior Challenge, Grace hopes the $100,000 science lab prize for her school will expand opportunities for students who have limited access to equipment and hands-on science outside the classroom.
What we're hearing: Philip Rivers' comeback, Burrow and more
Philip Rivers is expected to start an NFL game at 44 years old after a 1,800-day layoff, Joe Burrow's comments raised eyebrows across the league, and sources weigh in on what it all actually means.
This Could Be a Huge Catalyst for Nvidia's Business in 2026
Nvidia may finally be able to sell its advanced chips to a huge market: China.
Today is Dick Van Dyke’s 100th birthday: His tips for a long, healthy life—'sometimes I feel like I'm 15 again'
Dick Van Dyke is officially a centenarian! Here are three research-backed staples in his routine that he credits for his 100 years of life.
Chiefs EVP Lara Krug discusses the team's popularity internationally
During her chat with @EdEastonJr, Kansas City Chiefs Executive Vice President Lara Krug discussed the team's growing popularity internationally
Game Preview: San Jose Sharks @ Pittsburgh Penguins 12/13/25
Who: San Jose Sharks (15-14-3, 33 points, 5th place Pacific Division) @ Pittsburgh Penguins (14-8-7, 35 points, 5th place Metropolitan Division) When: 3:00 p.m. ET How to Watch: Broadcast locally on Sportsnet Pittsburgh and NBC Sports California, streaming on ESPN+ Pens’ Path Ahead: The homestand continues Sunday against the Utah Mammoth, followed by what could be a reunion with […]
After House GOP's unprecedented cuts, a potentially long wait for info
A small group of House Republicans single-handedly cut hundreds of millions in previously approved spending. The full impact remains unknown.
Doctor reveals why health care costs are so high
Health care costs are financially straining Americans, rising faster than inflation.
Business owner loses money over USPS shipping delays, Congressman demands answers
If you have a package on the way from USPS, you may have to wait a little longer, and several say they are already in that position. And, it’s been especially hurtful for business owners who rely on fast shipping for their products.
Bulls 129, Hornets 126: Losing streak ends at seven games
With four days off to get back in the lab, the Bulls finally ended their seven-game losing streak with a 129-126 win against the Charlotte Hornets. Injuries aren’t an excuse for...
House G.O.P. Releases Health Plan That Would Allow Subsidies to End
The legislation, expected to come to a vote next week, would make changes that could eventually affect health care costs but are unlikely to immediately curb rising premiums.
Political power and profitable trades in the US Congress
The debate over whether US members of Congress should be allowed to trade individual stocks has become a mainstream policy concern. This column uses data on every US congressional stock trade from 1995 to 2021 to reveal that while rank-and-file members do not systematically beat the market, once some of them assume leadership positions their portfolios start to look very different and outperform those of regular members. The pattern raises uncomfortable questions about how political power, corporate access, and personal wealth interact.
Steve Adelstein: PFAS water contamination has met its match
PFAS-free drinking water is finally achievable through fast, scalable, lab-verified technology.
Taylor Swift gave her Eras Tour crew bonuses in amounts that literally made their jaws drop
In the new Eras Tour docuseries, Taylor Swift distributes bonuses and handwritten letters to her dancers, musicians, and crew members.
FDA approves first new antibiotics to treat gonorrhea in decades, with hope to combat drug resistance
For the first time in decades, the US Food and Drug Administration has signed off on new antibiotics to fight gonorrhea. The approvals come at a critical moment: The sexually transmitted infection is growing harder to treat, and cases continue to climb nationwide.
Federal DOT threatens to pull highway funds to N.Y. over immigrant CDLs
According to Sean Duffy, 53% of non-domiciled CDLs in New York were issued illegally.
Apple releases iOS 26.2 with Liquid Glass tweaks, CarPlay changes, more [Release notes]
Apple has officially released iOS 26.2 for iPhone. The latest version includes Liquid Glass design tweaks, new customization options for...
The Search for Life Tops NASA's Science Goals for the First Human Mars Mission
A new report identifies searching for life as the top science priority for humanity's first landing on Mars, ranking it above understanding water cycles, mapping geology, or even studying how the Martian environment affects astronaut health. The report outlines four possible exploration campaigns, with the highest ranked approach calling for missions totalling 330 sols at a single scientifically rich site where crews could investigate everything from ancient lava flows to active dust storms. By placing the search for extraterrestrial life at the centre of human Mars exploration, the report reimagines the first crewed mission not just as a milestone for spaceflight but as humanity's best chance to answer whether we're alone in the universe.
Does Sleeping On A Problem Actually Help? Yes
That old adage is rooted in some surprisingly up-to-date research.
Health Technologies: Where We Are Now and a Look Ahead to 2026
More than ever before, digital solutions are transforming how health care is accessed and delivered. The potential of health technologies to bring about transformative change is especially pronounced in rural areas where health care challenges such as hospital closures and health workforce shortages are acute.
Who Really Won 2025? The Top-Earning Black Women In Entertainment This Year
From billion-dollar empires to history-making tours, these are the Black women who generated the biggest earnings in entertainment this year.
Fanatics Selects Rokt to Deliver AI-Powered Relevance for Sports Fans Globally
/PRNewswire/ -- Rokt, the leading ecommerce company using machine learning and AI to make the shopping experience more relevant to each customer, today...
I visited an underrated city in Sweden before heading to Copenhagen, and it ended up being a highlight of my Europe trip
Malmö, Sweden, is just 20 minutes from Copenhagen, Denmark, via train. Affordable and fun, it's totally worth adding to your trip to Scandinavia.
Trump calls affordability a "hoax"; Democrats take note
In the first year of his second term, President Donald Trump has focused his attention on foreign policy and made numerous trips abroad – with an eye toward the Nobel Peace Prize. But as he discusses peace deals with foreign leaders, his ratings domestically have fallen. Critics say that he isn’t doing enough to ease American’s economic concerns. So, this week, Trump returned his attention stateside and kicked off his affordability tour in Pennsylvania, while simultaneously branding “affordability” as a democratic “hoax.” Today on the politics roundtable, we discuss why Trump’s tour signals the administration’s concerns about the politics of affordability, and how some Democrats could use this as a way to gain an edge during the 2026 midterms. Host Colby Itkowitz speaks with Dan Merica, the co-anchor of our politics newsletter, The Early Brief, and White House Bureau Chief Matt Viser.
Scientists reveal the real benefits and hidden risks of medical cannabis
A sweeping review of more than 2,500 studies reveals that despite booming public enthusiasm, cannabis has strong scientific support for only a few medical uses, leaving most popular claims—like relief for chronic pain, anxiety, and insomnia—on shaky ground. The findings spotlight a persistent gap between what people believe cannabis can do and what clinical evidence actually shows.
What makes the Eagles optimistic about offense after a 3rd straight loss?
The crazy thing about the Eagles’ offensive performance Monday night is that they actually did some good things.
2026 Flathead Valley Winter Sports Preview
The snow has fallen and the sun is officially on hiatus, which means Flathead Valley athletes are trading in their cleats and knee pads for goggles, headgear and basketball shoes. Area teams and athletes over the last few weeks have been amping up their preparation ahead of the start of the high school winter sports […]
The Call to Art, Africa, and Politics
In 1964, CT urged Christians to “be what they really are—new men and women in Christ.”
Scientists have been studying the exoplanet TRAPPIST-1 e. Could it harbor alien life? : Short Wave
Want to be a top notch candidate for hosting alien life? Then there's a few key requirements you should be aware of: Ideally, you're a large object like a moon or a planet; scientists suspect you also have an atmosphere and water; plus, you should orbit your star from a nice mid-range distance — in the "Goldilocks Zone" of habitability. Until recently, you would be competing against TRAPPIST-1 e. It's a planet outside of our solar system. TRAPPIST-1 e is also only 40 light years away, rocky and the same size as Earth, which prompted researchers to investigate whether it also has an atmosphere — and the potential for alien life. A team of researchers has been investigating TRAPPIST-1 e to learn more about its potential. Their answers, recently published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters, say a lot not just about this exoplanet, but about how scientists should refocus their hunt for alien life.Interested in more space science? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.
Theater Review: "Stereophonic" Tour Offers Sharp Music, Uneven Storytelling
Kevin Taft reviews the theatrical production of the Tony-nominated Stereophonic, which he nevertheless feels never comes together in a dramatically satisfying way.
‘You won’t understand unless you chew on it’: Hideo Kojima wants you to remember his games for decades
With narrative storytelling, multimillion-dollar budgets and A-list casts, Hideo Kojima’s arthouse games — including the critically acclaimed “Metal Gear Solid” and “Death Stranding” franchises — are as cinematic as, well, cinema.
Lululemon is dialing back the in-store clutter
The athleisure giant is finally making changes to its overcrowded, inventory-packed stores.
Everything announced and all the winners at The Game Awards 2025
This year at The Game Awards, if your game wasn’t melodramatic, mechanically innovative, beautifully presented and aggressively French, it really didn’t stand a chance.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33's expansion is available right now, adding a photo mode and vibrant new world
The previously revealed expansion to Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has finally been properly unveiled, plus the game is heading to Switch 2.
Total War: Warhammer 40,000 Announced From Creative Assembly | The Game Awards 2025
Creative Assembly has finally confirmed one of the worst-kept secrets in video games: Total War: Warhammer 40,000.
Capcom Finally Confirms Leon S. Kennedy Is In Resident Evil Requiem | The Game Awards 2025
After months of speculation and a revealing leak earlier this week, Capcom has finally, officially confirmed what we all knew: Leon S. Kennedy is in Resident Evil Requiem, and he's here to kick butt.
Yup, That Weird Statue Was Teasing a New Divinity Game | The Game Awards 2025
After some unusual teases and a trademark inadvertently showing Larian Studios' hand, the Baldur's Gate 3 developer's next game has been officially revealed at The Game Awards with one heck of a disturbing trailer. It's Divinity. Just Divinity.
Lions-Rams Preview
INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) Nearly five years after the Los Angeles Rams blindsided Jared Goff by trading him to Detroit for Matthew Stafford, practically all parties involved in the blockbuster deal are thriving on the field and seemingly content about their fate.
Connecting through food: UC Davis Health chefs visit with local students
Chefs Jet Aguirre and Santana Diaz inspired local high school students by sharing their passion for cooking and the importance of healthy, locally grown food.
A new dawn in global health: UHC as the path toward national health stewardship
The UHC High‑Level Forum in Tokyo marked an unmistakable turning point. It signaled a shift from dialogue to pragmatic action, with health and finance ministries jointly designing country‑owned, fiscally grounded UHC strategies to move beyond fragmented, crisis‑driven responses toward resilient, durable health systems that can make Universal Health Coverage (UHC) a reality. UHC means ensuring...
Local business owner introduces monthly hands-on AI workshops
GRAND JUNCTION Colo. (KREX)- A local business owner and educator is launching a new AI training series designed specifically for small business owners in Grand Junction. Nick Gumpert, owner of the UPS Store on 12th Street and Patterson Road, is introducing a monthly lineup of hands-on artificial intelligence workshops beginning in February. Gumpert said after […]
Hochul signs several bills into law on artificial intelligence regulations
One piece of legislation aims to stop artificial intelligence from being used to essentially recreate people who have died.
Alexei Navalny’s wife and political heir still has ‘big hopes’ for Russia
The exiled widow of Russia’s late opposition leader Alexei Navalny told POLITICO on Thursday that remaining hopeful about her home country is part of her job. “I really have big hopes for Rus…
Patrick Mahomes offers brutally honest thoughts on Chiefs' playoff chances
Patrick knows his team is up against it.
Senate rejects dueling health care bills as Obamacare deadline looms
The result virtually guarantees insurance subsidies used by more than 20 million Americans will lapse at the end of the year.
New AirTag 2 leak reveals five improved features coming
When AirTag 2 finally arrives, a new leak has revealed five improved features that could be included with the long-awaited update.
Dueling Senate bills to address health care affordability fail to pass
The Senate today failed to pass legislation to address health care affordability. The chamber first voted on a Republican-backed bill that failed by a 51-48 vote. The bill would have disbursed $1,000 in health spending accounts for individuals age 18-49 and $1,500 for those age 50-64. A Democrat-led plan that would have extended the enhanced premium tax credits for three years also failed by a 51-48 tally. The bills needed 60 votes to pass.
Disney Accuses Google of Using AI to Engage in Copyright Infringement on ‘Massive Scale’
Disney is accusing Google of copyright infringement on a "massive scale" using AI models and services to "commercially exploit and distribute" infringing images and videos.
I went hands-on with the Galaxy Z TriFold at Dubai Mall — Samsung's tri-fold has a distinct advantage over the Huawei Mate XT, and the design is much better than I expected
It costs an absurd amount of money, but the Galaxy Z TriFold isn't just a tech demo — this is a tablet-sized foldable you can actually use.
Google's Gemini AI comes to Chrome on iPhone and iPad
After rolling it out on desktop and Android earlier in 2025, Google is finally bringing its built-in Gemini AI experience to iPhone and iPad.
Game Preview: Montreal Canadiens @ Pittsburgh Penguins 12/11/25
Who: Montreal Canadiens (15-11-3, 33 points, 4th place Atlantic Division) @ Pittsburgh Penguins (14-7-7, 35 points, 4th place Metropolitan Division) When: 7:00 p.m. eastern How to Watch: Broadcast locally Sportsnet Pittsburgh, streaming on ESPN+ Pens’ Path Ahead: The long homestand rolls on with matinee games at PPG Paints this weekend against San Jose (3pm on Saturday) and Utah […]
Monster Hunter Wilds finally gets PC optimisation roadmap to coincide with Title Update 4, but players still aren't really happy
"They’re even drip feeding optimization lmao," says one player.
Maker’s Mark nets first sports league sponsorship with Unrivaled
The bourbon brand will have a significant presence around the women's basketball league both on-premise and digitally.
Kings collapse late as Kraken rally for OT win
Los Angeles surrendered its lead late in the third period before going on to fall in the extra period.
Crooks: 11-0 ISU 'battle-tested' after win vs. Iowa
Audi Crooks had another huge game in leading No. 10 Iowa State past in-state rival and No. 11 Iowa on Wednesday. After the win, which kept the Cyclones undefeated at 11-0, Crooks said, "I feel like now we're officially battle-tested."
The New WHO Pandemic Treaty and Global Health Governance: Incorporating Common but Differentiated Responsibilities into PABS - Georgetown Journal of International Affairs
On May 20, 2025, the World Health Assembly unanimously adopted the World Health Organization (WHO) Pandemic Agreement, an international treaty designed to strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response. The product of three years of arduous negotiations, the treaty marks a new era of global cooperation in public health. However, core aspects of the agreement remain unresolved—notably the Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) System, which is intended to ensure equitable access to pandemic-related materials and benefits. To support the successful implementation of the WHO Pandemic Agreement, the principle of “common but differentiated responsibilities” should be formally incorporated into the negotiating agenda of the PABS annex. Introduction For the first time, an international treaty has enshrined the principle of “One Health,” the compelling idea that the health of animals, humans, and the environment all contribute to pandemic risks. SARS (2003), H1N1 (2009–10), Ebola (2014–16), and COVID-19 all emerged through zoonotic spillover from animal hosts—respectively, civets, hogs, and bats. Together, they underscore the need for a coordinated, cross-sectoral approach. The Pandemic Agreement responds to this call, requiring state parties to acknowledge the ecological interplay and commit to a comprehensive “One Health” strategy. Specifically, Article 5 charges governments to address “the drivers of pandemics and the emergence and re-emergence of infectious disease at the human-animal-environment interface,” including wild animal markets, deforestation, and antibiotic overuse. Yet the effectiveness of this “One Health” vision depends equally on the free flow of scientific information and data among countries and institutions. Just as environmental and animal health factors have been neglected in past global frameworks, so too has data sharing been marginalized, despite its centrality to timely detection and response. The Pandemic Agreement takes an important step by requiring governments to enhance data collection and cooperate with the World Health Organization (WHO). However, these provisions will remain aspirational without a robust Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) annex. The PABS system will determine whether countries and researchers can rapidly exchange pathogen samples and genetic data while ensuring equitable access to resulting research and development, including diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines. Without such mechanisms, the treaty’s promise to operationalize “One Health” and strengthen global preparedness will risk becoming largely symbolic, echoing earlier failures to translate shared principles into coordinated action. Equity Concerns When the 2025 Health Assembly adopted the Pandemic Agreement, it left the difficult question of access to pathogens and the sharing of resulting benefits to be addressed in a separate agreement. Negotiations on this separate agreement, PABS, are now underway in Geneva. Yet governments remain divided over fundamental questions of equity between the countries that primarily contribute to the system and those that primarily draw from it—and consequently benefit. For example, wildlife in countries bordering the equator is likely to produce PABS materials, but companies in Europe are likely to use them to develop lucrative products. The most likely contributor countries are likely to be those biodiverse countries around the equator, such as Brazil, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Indonesia, where the number of human-mammalian viral host interactions is large. Conversely, countries most likely to benefit from this material are those with the technology, investors, and infrastructure to capitalize on genomic data, such as the United States, EU member states, and Japan. This imbalance reflects a broader pattern seen in prior international frameworks. Now, as in the past, the wealthiest countries in the world (a useful heuristic is membership of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)) disproportionately benefit from systems in which pathogens and genomic sequencing data are contributed to a common source. Under the International Agreement on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (the “Plant Treaty” or “Seed Treaty”) and the Pandemic Influenza Preparedness (PIP) Framework, companies from Europe and North America disproportionately withdraw biological samples and data for development into lucrative medical products. Their governments and companies have both statutory and contractual claims to the products that those companies correspondingly produce. PABS appears poised to follow the same pattern. The text calls for strong language on access to pathogens and associated data, but the corresponding benefits that should flow to poorer countries are couched in equivocal or non-binding language. Common but Differentiated Responsibilities To address these inequities, the principle of “common but differentiated responsibilities” should be formally incorporated into the negotiating agenda of the PABS annex. Common but differentiated responsibilities are often a feature of climate change negotiations. The basic principle is that, even though all countries should reduce carbon emissions, governments that became rich and powerful through massive carbon emissions (e.g., France, the United Kingdom, the United States) should have a greater obligation to address the resulting crises. Applied to PABS, it would require that governments hosting and supporting companies developing lucrative products carry greater obligations toward the cost of running the PABS system; share benefits or final medical products; and transfer technology to help countries worldwide develop their own capacities to innovate and manufacture vaccines during an emergency. For example, an annex could mandate that any company based in an OECD country that withdraws PABS material would be obligated to donate the resulting diagnostics, therapeutics, or vaccines to the WHO during a public health emergency or pandemic. Questions remain about how robust those donations would be, but the principle is that they should deliver highly significant lifesaving benefits to be equitably shared. Theoretically, this approach mirrors the PIP Framework, in which companies withdrawing influenza samples are required to pay half of the operating costs. In practice, however, the framework has fallen short. The PIP Framework Secretariat has struggled to secure payments from companies, with companies often disagreeing over how much is owed. Additionally, without another pandemic influenza to test the strength of the agreement during a public health emergency, corporate compliance with sharing mechanisms remains unknown. Even if these limitations did not characterize the PIP Framework, partially paying for operating expenses does not address the inequity in access to genetic data and pathogen samples that left less developed countries last in line for COVID-19 vaccines (and, before them, H1N1). Common but differentiated responsibilities would go further, addressing governments’ legitimate grievances regarding information sharing. It would make withdrawals of PABS material and resulting products more transparent, building trust across the board. Enforcement and Enduring Success A key implication of this approach is that the governing mechanism of the PABS must have real enforcement authority. The WHO Pandemic Agreement delegates its core governance responsibilities to a Conference of the Parties (COP)—a governing body composed of one representative from each participating government, similar to those established under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. The proposed WHO Pandemic Agreement COP is charged with oversight functions but ultimately possesses no real authority to compel a government to take any action it does not wish to take. The text does not give the COP the ability to, for example, sanction a party that does not comply with either textual obligations or PABS provisions. In other words, there are no effective mechanisms in place to ensure compliance. Perhaps just as significant, establishing a meaningful enforcement mechanism within the PABS system would strengthen the WHO’s credibility and its ability to ensure compliance across global health governance. By setting a precedent for accountability, such a mechanism could enhance the organization’s authority not only within the Pandemic Agreement but also in enforcing the revised International Health Regulations and other frameworks for public health emergencies. Conclusion The PABS annex can—and should—be different. It should establish clear responsibilities for funding as well as for sharing the diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines that result from contributions to the system. The system, in turn, must include a dedicated body empowered to hold governments and the corporations they sponsor accountable for their responsibilities before, during, and after pandemics. Doing so would restore trust in the broader agreement, which was eroded as commitments were repeatedly diluted while parties scrambled to meet their own self-imposed deadlines during the Pandemic Agreement negotiations. A robust PABS Annex would cement a grand social bargain. Wealthier countries and their corporations would gain unimpeded access to scientific information essential for developing and manufacturing lifesaving medical products. As such, they would stand to gain considerable economic benefit. Yet that privilege must be matched with responsibility. The grand bargain must include not only the right to innovate, but also the duty to ensure that innovation serves all. As medical products are developed and produced through collective contributions, every person must have equal access. All human beings deserve an equitable chance to survive—to save their own life, the lives of their families, and the well-being of their communities. … Sam Halabi, JD, MPhil, is the Bette Jacobs Endowed Professor at Georgetown University’s School of Health and the Director of the Center for Transformational Health Law at Georgetown Law. He serves as the co-lead for the WHO’s Working Group on Regulatory Consideration on AI and Health’s training workstream. He earned his JD from Harvard, his MPhil from Oxford, and undergraduate degrees from Kansas State University. Lawrence Gostin, LLD (Hon.), JD, BA, is University Distinguished Professor and Founding Director and Timothy and Linda O’Neill Professor of the O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law. He is the author of Global Health Security: A Blueprint for the Future (Harvard University Press, 2021); Global Health Law (Harvard University Press, 2014); Public Health Law: Power, Duty, Restraint (University of California Press, 3rd ed., 2016); Public Health Law and Ethics: A Reader (University of California Press, 3rd ed., 2018); Law and the Health System (Foundation Press, 2014); Principles of Mental Health Law & Practice (Oxford University Press, 2010). He also directs the WHO Collaborating Center at Georgetown University. Image Credit: United States Mission Geneva, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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