Rachael Crockett, of the advocacy group Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative, described the draft pandemic treaty as “a product of compromise.” She said it contained strong provisions, but only if countries chose to implement them: “This could change what we saw in COVID, when some populations didn’t get access to what they needed.”

The World Health Organization finally reached a compromise on a pandemic treaty after three years of talks. The United States withdrew from negotiations after President Trump took office.