During the fifth round of discussions under the Working Group on Amendments to the International Health Regulations 2005 (IHR), progress was made on over 300 proposed amendments.

These encompassed areas such as:

The group also addressed proposals concerning equitable access to health products and consultation.

Efforts will continue before the next meeting in December, including discussions between proponents of amendments and inter-sessional briefings.

It's anticipated that the package of amendments may not be ready by January 2024.

The IHR, legally binding 196 state parties, has been amended twice, in 2014 and 2022, with the most recent amendments set to take effect in May 2024, in response to lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic.