Editing Implications of the Pandemic, Part 2 (section)

==== Hurtling towards a global Surveillance State? ====
Article 1 defined “WHO coordinated laboratory network” as “the international network of laboratories, coordinated by WHO, that conduct year-round surveillance of pathogens with pandemic potential, assessing the risk of an emerging pathogen with pandemic potential and assisting in pandemic preparedness measures”. Article 4, “Pandemic prevention and public health surveillance” recommends cooperation for monitoring and surveillance, both among member states and with the WHO Secretariat. In addition, surveillance finds mention in Article 5, relating to One Health, as well as Article 6 and Article 8, setting off alarm bells. Article 12 states that a WHO PABS system must be established: “The Parties hereby establish a multilateral system for access and benefit sharing, on an equal footing, the WHO Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing System (WHO PABS System), to ensure rapid and timely risk assessment and facilitate rapid and timely development of, and equitable access to, pandemic-related products for pandemic prevention, preparedness and response.” What is the extent to which information relating to public health and pathogen data must be made available to unaccountable international organizations? Are there data privacy concerns? Can the provision of such information be considered a breach of national security? Can we be assured that states are held more accountable for their actions, just as China and the United States were for the COVID-19 pandemic?