Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
EU-Led Coalition Proposes Review Into WHO's Response But U.S. May Want More Targeted Inquiry
The Wall Street Journal: Pandemic Review Still In Balance As China, U.S. Weigh Response
More than 100 countries, led by the European Union and Australia, have backed a resolution to independently review the global response to the coronavirus pandemic and the question of whether the World Health Organization acted to the best of its limited powers to contain the disease. It isn’t clear if the resolution, to be considered at a WHO summit likely on Tuesday, will be blocked by the Trump administration, which has pushed for an inquiry much more squarely targeted at China. Nor is it clear if Beijing will accept the resolution since China has opposed any inquiry that could blame the country for its failure to stop the virus when it first emerged in the central Hubei province. (Norman and Hinshaw, 5/17)
ABC News: EU Calls For Independent Probe Of WHO's Pandemic Response
The proposal is intended to initiate “a stepwise process of impartial, independent and comprehensive evaluation” of WHO’s efforts to coordinate the international response to COVID-19, including the functioning of international health law and its actions within the greater U.N. health system. The move comes amid Australia’s call for an independent inquiry into the origins of the pandemic and WHO’s response to it — and after U.S. President Donald Trump’s repeated accusations that WHO helped China cover up the extent of the initial COVID-19 outbreak. Trump has also called for an immediate halt to all U.S. funding to the U.N. health agency. (Keaten and Cheng, 5/18)
Reuters: China Says Premature To Immediately Begin A COVID-19 Investigation
China’s foreign ministry said on Monday it was premature to immediately launch an investigation into the origins and spread of the coronavirus that has killed more than 300,000 people globally. Spokesman Zhao Lijian told reporters during a daily briefing that the vast majority of countries in the world believe the pandemic is not yet over. The ministry said in a separate statement that President Xi Jinping will give a video speech for the opening ceremony of the World Health Assembly later on Monday. (5/18)
NPR: 'Unprecedented' World Health Assembly Convenes Online As Pandemic Rages
The World Health Organization's annual oversight convention will be held by teleconference beginning Monday, as the worst pandemic in modern history continues around the globe. The 73rd annual World Health Assembly typically brings together representatives from the WHO's 194 member states in Geneva to discuss a wide range of health topics. However, this year's meeting will be held by teleconference for the first-time ever. (Beaubien, 5/17)
Stat: WHO Embraces Plan For Covid-19 Intellectual Property Pool
In response to the global race to combat the Covid-19 pandemic, the World Health Organization embraced a proposal Friday to create a voluntary pool to collect patent rights, regulatory test data, and other information that could be shared for developing drugs, vaccines, and diagnostics. The notion was raised several weeks ago by Costa Rican officials amid mounting concern that some Covid-19 medical products may not be accessible for poorer populations. By establishing a voluntary mechanism under the auspices of the WHO, the goal is to establish a pathway that will attract numerous governments, as well as industry, universities and nonprofit organizations. (Silverman, 5/15)
The Wall Street Journal: Trump Again Considering Withholding WHO Funding
President Trump is again considering cutting off funding to the World Health Organization, administration officials said, in a possible shift from a prior plan to restore partial funding to the group. Officials said the president hasn’t yet made a final decision on how to proceed, but he appeared to now be skeptical of an internal proposal to provide reduced funding to the WHO on par with what China contributes. Instead, the president is weighing extending a temporary funding halt that he put in place in April amid frustration with the WHO’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, the officials said. (Restuccia, 5/17)
The Wall Street Journal: China Told Labs To Destroy Coronavirus Samples To Reduce Biosafety Risks
A senior Chinese official appeared to confirm Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s allegation that Beijing had told labs in the country to destroy coronavirus samples in early January but slammed his characterization as misleading. In a May 6 press briefing, Mr. Pompeo accused China of covering up the Covid-19 outbreak as it emerged in the central city of Wuhan, saying China’s National Health Commission had ordered destruction of samples of the virus on Jan. 3. (Chin, 5/16)
