Fri Jul 18 17:24:37 UTC 2025: ## US Withdraws from WHO Pandemic Reforms, Citing Sovereignty Concerns
**Washington, D.C.** – The United States has formally rejected amendments to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) International Health Regulations (IHR), citing concerns that the reforms infringe on US sovereignty and its right to determine domestic health policy. The move, announced jointly by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F Kennedy, signals a continued push against international regulations by the Trump administration.
The 2024 amendments to the IHR were designed to improve the global response to future pandemics following the COVID-19 crisis. Key provisions included a clearer definition of a pandemic emergency, improved information-sharing between countries, and efforts to ensure equitable access to medical products for developing nations.
However, US officials argued that the amendments contain vague terminology and could lead to WHO-coordinated responses focused on “political issues like solidarity” rather than rapid, effective action. They also expressed concerns that the reforms could compel countries to adopt digital health documents and infringe on Americans’ speech, privacy, and personal liberties.
“These amendments risk unwarranted interference with our national sovereign right to make health policy,” Rubio and Kennedy stated.
While the reforms encourage the development of a database for digital health certificates, participation would be voluntary. The US rejection of these amendments follows a broader trend of skepticism towards multilateral institutions among conservatives, who view international rules as an infringement on US sovereignty.
Advocates of global health regulations argue that pandemics transcend borders and require collaborative, international efforts to effectively manage. The US also notably abstained from a separate WHO agreement to enhance pandemic preparedness adopted in May.
The COVID-19 pandemic, which began in early 2020, resulted in nearly 70 million deaths worldwide and caused significant global disruption.
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