World Health Assembly Cites Need to ‘Restrict Personal Liberties’ and Expand WHO’s Emergency Powers

The 76th World Health Assembly (WHA) recently concluded without ratifying a new pandemic treaty or the proposed amendments to the International Health Regulations (IHR). The meetings, which took place in Geneva, Switzerland, included discussions about new WHO bodies created to respond to pandemic threats and calls to "restrict personal liberties" during health emergencies. Some critics argue that these meetings were more of a theatrical production than genuine negotiations.

According to independent journalist James Roguski, the WHO had no intention of ratifying the treaty or amendments during the WHA meetings. He believes that they have always planned to aim for ratification in 2024. The bureau's text of the pandemic treaty, which was revealed during the WHA, is shorter than previous drafts but is considered dystopian in its scope and cleverness by Roguski.

Dr. Meryl Nass, an internist, and member of the Children's Health Defense scientific advisory committee, suggests that the WHO may be avoiding the use of the term "treaty" to bypass the need for ratification by the Senate. She also questions why an updated version of the proposed IHR amendments was not made available.

Roguski highlights certain aspects of the bureau's text, such as Article 33, which appears to eliminate the possibility for countries to opt out of adopted protocols. He also points to Article 22, which calls for the creation of an "Implementation and Compliance Committee" to review compliance with the text. Roguski raises concerns about the lack of transparency and public oversight in the decision-making process.

Roguski compares the proposed texts to the WHO's Framework Convention for Tobacco Control and suggests that they seek to empower unknown bureaucrats to make legally binding decisions in the future, hidden from public view. He believes that the creation of a new "Conference of the Parties" could allow for the adoption of protocols without Congressional oversight.

The bureau's text includes proposals for the recognition of the One Health approach, removing conditions on public funding of pharmaceutical research, and various definitions for concepts like "pathogen with pandemic potential" and "infodemic." Roguski argues that these proposals could lead to an expansion of the pharmaceutical industry and the erosion of individual rights.

Article 18 of the text, concerning communication and public awareness, raises concerns about the WHO's potential to tackle "misinformation or disinformation." Critics argue that this could enable censorship and limit free speech. Dr. Abdulla Assiri, co-chair of the WHO's Working Group on Amendments to the International Health Regulations, suggests prioritizing actions that may restrict individual liberties and mandating the sharing of information and resources.

Dr. David Bell, a public health physician, criticizes the lack of consensus and the false narratives surrounding the proposed texts. He believes that real pandemics are rare and questions the need for sweeping measures that may infringe on individual freedoms.

The WHA adopted a resolution on behavioral sciences for better health, which encourages member states to use behavioral science to achieve better health outcomes. Behavioral science theories include the concept of "nudging" to encourage voluntary compliance with policies or measures.

WHO initiatives launched by Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus include the Pandemic Fund, Universal Health and Preparedness Review, WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence, International Pathogen Surveillance Network, and Global Health Emergency Corps. Some of these initiatives focus on surveillance and data gathering to detect and respond to health threats.

The forthcoming High-Level Meeting on Pandemic Preparedness, Prevention, and Response (PPPR) has raised concerns. Critics worry that it may empower the UN Secretary-General to take authority during emergencies. The proposal for a Global Health Threats Council, independent of the WHO, UN, and other stakeholders, has also been put forth.