President Joe Biden’s proposed international agreements to enhance the World Health Organization’s authority in declaring public health emergencies have sparked opposition from Governor Jim Pillen and governors from 23 other states. The changes would impact the WHO’s International Health Regulations (IHRs) and introduce a new Pandemic Agreement Treaty, giving the Director-General more power over member states during emergencies.
In a joint letter to President Biden, the governors expressed their concerns about how these agreements could affect their role as state health officials. They believe that the proposed amendments would elevate the WHO to a global authority in public health, giving the Director-General the ability to declare a ‘public health emergency of international concern’ (PHEIC) unilaterally. This could lead to a loss of sovereignty for member states, as the WHO would have the power to dictate responses to emergencies and potentially enforce medical treatment mandates.
Governors from Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina
