Global Health Security Law Course

This session explored the definition, scope, and key functions of global health security law. It provided an overview of major actors, including the World Health Organization (WHO), and the legal instruments shaping this field, from binding treaties to soft law mechanisms. Core themes include public health emergencies and pandemics. The session also examined significant developments, such as International Health Regulations (IHR) and Pandemic Treaty reforms, along with critical challenges.

The prevention and control of the spread of infectious diseases has been a central field for cooperation between States since the 19th century. The IHR (2005), adopted under the auspices of the WHO, was analysed, as well as the way it has been implemented so far. The main amendments to the IHR adopted in June 2024 were discussed, as were the efforts to translate the lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic into a legally binding instrument, and the essential role of the WHO in the global governance of health security.

Health has become a central issue in the current discourse on global health law and governance. The increasing frequency of zoonotic diseases such as COVID-19 points to the need to reconcile human and animal health as well as environmental protection. This session discussed the current state of international law in promoting or hindering a holistic approach that overcomes a purely anthropocentric perspective. It also reviewed the inclusion of upstream prevention and the One Health approach in the WHO Pandemic Treaty and in the work of the so-called “Quadripartite” (WHO, FAO, WOAH, and UNEP).

This session explored the historical origins of Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) as a transactional, market-based solution to problems of bio-conservation in international environmental law, and how ABS came to be adopted into mainstream public health. Through the case studies of 2005 – H1N1, Ebola in West Africa, MERS, Zika, and COVID-19, we explored to what extent ABS can effectively function in the public health space. We concluded by considering how (and why) ABS is being proposed in the ongoing negotiations of the Pandemic Treaty at the WHO.

This session explored the legal and regulatory frameworks that shape fast and equitable access to medicines and vaccines during infectious disease outbreaks. Key topics included the role of regulatory approvals and Emergency Use Authorisations, the impact of intellectual property rights under the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights Agreement, and the use of technology transfer and voluntary licensing initiatives. Additionally, the session examined recent efforts to address these issues within the context of the proposed Pandemic Treaty currently under negotiation by the WHO.

This session explored the balance of human rights and governmental measures during public health emergencies such as pandemics. It examined how international human rights law applies in crises, balancing public health measures with fundamental freedoms. Key topics included the right to health, limitations on movement (quarantines and lockdowns), vaccine mandates, and the protection of vulnerable populations. It also discussed government responses to COVID-19.