Monday

07-21-2025 Vol 2028

United States Rejects WHO’s Pandemic Global Response Amendments

In a significant shift, the Trump administration announced on July 18, 2024, that the United States will not participate in the enhanced pandemic response framework enacted by the World Health Organization (WHO).

The International Health Regulations Amendments, which were approved on June 1, 2024, grant the WHO the authority to implement measures such as lockdowns and travel restrictions in response to public health risks, although these measures would not be mandatory.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) emphasized that the amendments would provide the WHO with the ‘ability to order global lockdowns,’ a point of concern raised by U.S. officials.

All 194 member states of WHO, including the United States, alongside Liechtenstein and the Vatican, negotiated and approved these amendments, which are set to take effect unless any country rejects them.

With the formal declaration from President Donald Trump after his second term inauguration on January 20, 2024, the U.S. plans to withdraw from WHO by January 2026, further distancing itself from the organization’s recent reforms.

Notably, on March 20, 2024, WHO member nations unanimously adopted the first ‘Pandemic Agreement,’ aimed at reinforcing global health architecture for dealing with pandemics; however, the United States chose not to participate in that agreement as well.

The new amendments define criteria for declaring a pandemic emergency and outline how such emergencies can be triggered. They also encourage sharing information globally and strive to ensure that poorer nations have equitable access to medical products.

In statements made public, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. voiced concern that the proposed amendments could lead to a level of narrative management that would echo the controversies surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kennedy expressed that the U.S. could work with global partners without sacrificing civil liberties or undermining American sovereignty.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio echoed this sentiment, claiming that the vague terminology in the amendments could lead to international responses that prioritize political considerations over effective public health actions.

Rubio stated, ‘We will put Americans first in all our actions and will not tolerate international policies that infringe on Americans’ speech, privacy, or personal liberties.’

The Trump administration’s decision has received praise from several Republican lawmakers, including Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, who criticized the WHO’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic as evidence of incompetence and corruption.

Johnson remarked on the need for reforms rather than expanded authority for WHO, suggesting that the amendments could lead to undesirable pandemic responses such as school closures and vaccine mandates.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had devastating effects globally, officially claiming around 7 million lives, although the WHO estimates the total toll to be approximately 20 million since its emergence in December 2019 in China.

Furthermore, the economic impact of the pandemic is staggering, with estimates suggesting that it has cost the global economy over $10 trillion.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyes emphasized the human and economic costs of the pandemic, highlighting the urgent need for effective responses and frameworks to prevent similar crises in the future.

image source from:upi

Charlotte Hayes