Included in the International Health Regulation amendments rammed through by the World Health Organization include the creation of digital ‘health documents,’ mirroring the goals of the World Economic Forum. The fact that the World Health Organization (WHO) has passed the Amendments to the International Health Regulations (IHR) is appalling on several fronts. The manner in which these were passed flagrantly violates the WHO’s own rules.
Under Article 55 of the International Health Regulations, “The text of any proposed amendment shall be communicated to all States Parties by the Director-General at least four months before the Health Assembly at which it is proposed for consideration.” That deadline passed on January 27, 2024. In defiance of this requirement, the WHO negotiated the draft Amendments until the last minute, releasing the final text just hours before the final vote.
This violation prevented governments and civil society from being able to analyze this document and discern its implications. The WHO’s tossing out of its own rule indicates its disregard for the rule of law. If it is willing to disregard such an important safeguard as Article 55, what is stopping it from disregarding any other provision in the IHRs? If it is willing to ignore its own laws, why would we expect it to honor ours? For this reason, The Amendments to the IHR are invalid and should be rejected.
Further, the Amendments that passed on June 2 retain troubling language regarding cen.
