Bio-Manguinhos’ senior scientific advisor, Dr. Cristina Possas, was the only Brazilian scientist invited to sign a letter of scientific recommendations sent to member countries of the World Health Assembly, held at the end of May in Geneva, Switzerland. The initiative brought together sixteen scientists and manufacturers involved in the development and production of vaccines from around the world to call for a “win-win” Pandemic Agreement.

The movement was led by Dr. Jerome Kim, director of the International Vaccine Institute (IVI), who, in collaboration with Dr. Petro Terblanche of Afrigen Biologics & Vaccines, selected researchers from around the world with publications and work in the fields of pandemic preparedness, One Health, vaccines and Disease X (a term used to refer to a likely disease that could affect the world) to draft a document with recommendations from scientists so that member countries can quickly reach an agreement and as a contribution to the negotiations led by the World Health Organization (WHO).

The so-called Pandemic Agreement is a document that is still under negotiation among WHO member countries and aims to prevent, prepare for and respond to pandemics worldwide, allowing countries around the world to strengthen national, regional and global capacities and resilience to future pandemics, in addition to seeking to promote greater equity in the distribution of materials and medicines in a pandemic scenario.

“For WHO member countries to reach a consensus on the terms of this document, it will be necessary to negotiate controversial economic, social and political issues, especially in the field of intellectual property. This letter seeks to raise awareness among member countries about the urgency of reaching an agreement on this crucial issue for the future of humanity, which is to prevent and respond to the real possibility of a future pandemic,” explains Possas.

The full letter from the 16 scientists, as well as the list of signatories, was published in the journal Health Policy Watch and is available at the link The Pandemic Agreement: A Bridge To Nowhere Or North Star To Access And Global Health Security? - Health Policy Watch (healthpolicy-watch.news).

Text: Thais Christ
Image: Bernardo Portella