Golden Dome Invitational - University of Notre Dame (2026 South Bend Regionals)

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed deep weaknesses in the global health architecture, from delayed information sharing and inequitable vaccine distribution to fragmented national responses. In its aftermath, WHO member states launched two parallel negotiating tracks: amendments to the International Health Regulations (IHR), which govern reporting of disease outbreaks and were updated in 2024, and a new Pandemic Agreement negotiated through the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB). After more than three years of talks, the World Health Assembly adopted the WHO Pandemic Agreement in May 2025, the first treaty of its kind, addressing prevention, preparedness, and response to future pandemics. The agreement now enters a contentious implementation phase. The most disputed element is the Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) system, which would require states and laboratories to share pathogen samples and genetic sequence data in exchange for guaranteed access to resulting vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics. Lower- and middle-income states, led by African and Latin American blocs, insist on binding technology transfer and manufacturing capacity in the Global South, while several pharmaceutical-exporting states emphasize voluntary mechanisms and intellectual property protections. Surveillance obligations, One Health approaches linking human, animal, and environmental health, and financing for preparedness in low-income countries remain unresolved. Today, committees must translate treaty text into operational rules: the PABS annex, a coordinating financial mechanism, a global supply chain and logistics network, and compliance review procedures. Recent outbreaks of mpox, H5N1 avian influenza, and Marburg have underscored the urgency, while geopolitical tensions, contested WHO funding, and the withdrawal or hesitation of major contributors complicate consensus. Delegates are tasked with designing a system that is both equitable and enforceable before the next pathogen of pandemic potential emerges.