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LG's First Dolby FlexConnect Soundbar Lets You Place Speakers Anywhere
The company unveiled its surround system which lets you add speakers to any TV if you buy the soundbar.
House passes health care bill to boost access to workplace insurance
House passes health care bill to boost access to workplace insurance.
Knicks, Pacers rematch comes amid much different circumstances
After battling in last season's Eastern Conference final in May, the Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks come into their first matchup of the 2025-26 season in a much different place.
NU administration addresses employee concerns about health care shift at special Faculty Senate meeting
Following Northwestern’s announcement that UnitedHealthcare will replace Blue Cross Blue Shield as the University’s employee health care administrator, human resources representatives fielded faculty concerns at a special Faculty Senate meeting Thursday. The University announced June 12 that all medical plans for NU faculty and staff will be administered by UnitedHealthcare starting Jan. 1, 2026. Faculty...
What it costs to live in America’s iconic holiday movie towns
Redfin Real Estate reports on the affordability of iconic holiday movie towns, revealing high prices in places like Winnetka, Illinois, and NYC, while others are more accessible.
Ohio head coach Brian Smith fired for cause after administrative review revealed 'serious professional misconduct'
Brian Smith was placed on indefinite leave from Ohio on Dec. 1.
Proposal would bring stadium, sports complex to Clearwater
The Landings Golf Course, which first opened in 1970, would be replaced. The stadium does not currently have any sports franchise as a potential suitor.
A new era for sports communication at UNC Hussman | UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media
As director of UNC Hussman’s Sports Communication Focus Program, Distinguished Associate Professor of Sports Communication Livis Freeman is building on the work of the school’s legendary Distinguished Professor for Sports Communication John Sweeney. Sweeney, who retired last year, developed one of the most respected sports communication programs in the country. Freeman, now in his 12th year at the school, is launching an ambitious expansion of the program that is transforming how UNC prepares students for careers in sports media. The most visible change came this fall with a reimagining of “MEJO 377: Sports Communication.” Previously offered as two sections with 30 students each, the course expanded to 96 students and welcomed former UNC basketball star and NBA veteran Tyler Hansbrough as the co-instructor with Freeman, bringing real world professional experience directly into the classroom every week. The course has been a huge success. Students have participated in recording a podcast with Hansbrough and learned from an impressive lineup of guest speakers. Steve Kirschner, UNC’s senior associate director of athletics for communications, was the first in the course’s guest speaker series, followed by UNC Hussman alumni including Kaitlyn Schmidt ’23 from Bleacher Report, Deaton Bell ’90 from Turner Sports and Becca Royer ’19 from the Philadelphia 76ers. Travis Tygart, CEO of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, also shared his insights with the class. The highlight of the semester came when Roy Williams, who coached Hansbrough and the Tar Heels to a national championship in 2009, visited the classroom. Former UNC men’s basketball players Luke Maye and Marcus Ginyard showed up to support their former coach and Hansbrough, creating an unforgettable experience as Williams entertained students with stories and insights that captivated the room. Student demand has been overwhelming. The course reached capacity within two days of registration opening, with more than 40 students on the waitlist. “Students want to learn from people who have actually lived these experiences,” Freeman said. “Tyler shares insights into media relations, broadcast production and athlete communications that you simply can’t get from a textbook.” The model proved so successful that the school secured funding to continue it for the next five years, with a different former professional athlete co-teaching each fall. The school’s curriculum committee approved a proposal to expand the course to 150 to 200 students starting in fall 2026. This change will make it an introductory course accessible to students from across the University, transforming it into a showcase course for the entire campus. The course redesign represents just one piece of a broader sports communication program overhaul. This fall, the curriculum committee approved “MEJO 390: Sports Play by Play,” the first course of its kind at UNC. Limited to 10 advanced students, the course will be taught by Matt Krause, the current voice of UNC women’s basketball and an ACC Network broadcaster. Students will call actual games across multiple sports including women’s softball, soccer, volleyball, field hockey and lacrosse, as well as men’s soccer and lacrosse. They will also shadow broadcasts of men’s and women’s basketball games. “The sports broadcasting industry is exploding with streaming platforms and conference networks creating unprecedented demand,” Freeman said. The course emerged directly from student advocacy, led by Anna Laible ’26 and others who pushed for hands-on broadcasting experience. Professional equipment has been acquired, partnerships with UNC Athletics are in place and a soft launch began this semester with three experienced students calling games to test the system. The program’s growth extends into other specialized areas as well. Last spring, Stembler Professor Charlie Tuggle launched a new sports event management and hospitality course in partnership with On Location, a company that manages major sporting event experiences. The course provided students with opportunities to travel to the Super Bowl and NFL Draft, and Tuggle plans to take a group to the 2026 Milan Olympics this spring. Looking ahead to spring 2026, Associate Professor Ryan Thornburg will debut a sports data visualization course, adding another dimension to the program’s skill-building offerings. The curriculum expansion reflects the increasingly diverse career paths available in sports media, from traditional journalism and broadcasting to digital analytics and strategic communication. The program is also diving into one of college athletics’ most transformative developments: Name, Image and Likeness rights. Freeman’s “MEJO 466: Sports Marketing” class collaborated last spring with Associate Professor Gary Kayye’s “MEJO 371: Advertising Creative” class on a project with UNC’s Carolina NIL group to help rebrand their organization. That same semester, Kayye’s class envisioned Chapel Thrill, UNC football’s new pregame concert and entertainment experience. And Shaun Anderson, the school’s Knight Chair in Sports, Race and Media, continues to explore the broader implications of NIL through his research and teaching. These NIL-focused initiatives give students direct exposure to the business side of college athletics at a moment when the landscape is rapidly evolving. “Our students aren’t just learning about these changes,” Freeman said. “They’re actively helping shape how schools and athletes navigate them.” The transformation of UNC Hussman’s sports communication program reflects a broader philosophy about how to prepare students for careers in a rapidly changing industry. By bringing in professional practitioners like Hansbrough and Krause, partnering with industry leaders like On Location and ACC Network, and engaging with current issues like NIL, the program ensures students graduate with both theoretical knowledge and practical experience. For alumni who remember the foundations John Sweeney built, the expansion represents an evolution rather than a departure. The program still emphasizes strong reporting, strategic communication, ethical communication and critical thinking. But now it also offers students the chance to call live games, work on real NIL campaigns and learn directly from former professional athletes. “We’re not just teaching students about sports media,” Freeman said. “We’re giving them the tools, experiences and connections to actually build careers in it.” With new courses launching, professional partnerships deepening and enrollment expanding, UNC Hussman’s sports communication program is positioning itself as a national leader in preparing the next generation of sports media professionals. For current students, the message is clear: if you’re interested in sports communication, there’s never been a better time to be at UNC Hussman. And for the hundreds of students trying to get off waitlists and into these new courses, the school is working to create more opportunities. The program John Sweeney built is growing in ways that honor his legacy while meeting the demands of a new era in sports media.
Larian CEO clarifies studio is "not replacing concept artists with AI"
"At the very early ideation stages we use it as a rough outline for composition which we replace with original concept art," says Swen Vincke
MSU ranks in top 7% for interdisciplinary science
Among 991 institutions across 94 countries, MSU ranked No. 56 globally. MSU’s worldwide rank places the university at No. 20 out of 47 participating U.S universities and No. 19 out of the 28 participating Association of American Universities.
Science Central to host first holiday event, Winter WonderLab
The Winter WonderLab will take place December 18 through 20.
15 must-watch British crime drama series
Whether with an old-fashioned one-case-per-episode or a more sprawling multistrand story, quaint or violent, historic or modern, the birthplace of Agatha Christie understands that we all need stories that make sense of seemingly senseless acts.
'Long term, Brighton are in a great place'
Former Brighton midfielder Dale Stephens believes the current group of players reflects a model the Seagulls have refined over a number of seasons, but stressed that potential alone is no longer enough once players step into the first team environment. Speaking on BBC Radio Sussex's Albion Unlimited podcast, Stephens believes Brighton's continued reliance on youth has once again put the spotlight on the balance between development and results. Long term, Brighton are in a great place.
Why health insurance is getting more expensive
The spike in what ACA enrollees pay will be acute, but workplace insurance is getting more expensive, too.
How the long-running Obamacare fight came to thwart enhanced subsidies in Congress
Congress is poised to leave for a scheduled holiday recess without a solution for addressing the expiration of enhanced subsidies for Affordable Care Act marketplace plans.
Analysis: Drugs are WMDs in Trump’s undeclared war
Among the most important shifts in Trump 2.0 is a multipronged effort by President Donald Trump’s administration to equate its war on drugs with the war on terror.
Jake Paul vows to beat Anthony Joshua and 'shock the world', promises 'biggest upset in sports history'
Jake Paul the underdog for fight with former two-time world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua but vows to shock the world; AJ , who says he is honoured to be invited to America, could fight Tyson Fury in 2026 with talks taking place between the respective camps
Robinhood to Offer Custom Sports Parlays Using Kalshi Tech
Bettors will be able to request odds for the "combo" bets they want to place, and market makers will respond within seconds.
State Farm Arena ranks among top live entertainment venues worldwide, Billboard says
The Atlanta arena placed fifth in the U.S. and seventh globally after hosting dozens of sold-out concerts, comedy shows and major sporting events.
Baldur's Gate 3 team using genAI on its next game, but the controversial tool is 'something we are constantly discussing' says CEO
'We are neither releasing a game with any AI components, nor are we looking at trimming down teams to replace them with AI'
‘Bo Schembechler would never stop throwing up’: How Michigan’s scandal reveals college sports’ transformation
Legendary Michigan-based columnist Mitch Albom says Bo Schembechler would be sickened by today's college sports landscape where player poaching and money have replaced loyalty in an era unrecognizable to the iconic coach.
Enter the Mob Maze
Step into Mob Maze, a roguelite multiplayer adventure with SUPER-SIZED environments and scaled-up obstacles, available through the Server list in Minecraft: Bedrock Edition! Do you have what it takes to conquer this colossal place with your unique abilities, grab precious loot, and escape before it’s too late? Let’s find out!
LISTEN: Happy 120th Birthday, Variety! When Vaudeville, Gramophones, Caruso and Bernhardt Ruled Entertainment
On a special 'Daily Variety' podcast, we mark Variety's 120th birthday with showbiz historians discussing the entertainment marketplace in 1905.
Google wants its AI assistant CC to replace your morning scroll
Move over, ChatGPT Pulse.
Larian CEO Responds to Divinity Gen AI Backlash: 'We Are Neither Releasing a Game With Any AI Components, Nor Are We Looking at Trimming Down Teams to Replace Them With AI'
This morning, the news broke that Larian Studios, developer of Baldur's Gate 3 and the upcoming, just-announced Divinity, is apparently using generative AI behind the scenes. The backlash has been swift, and now Larian founder and game director Swen Vincke is responding to clarify his remarks.
Dispatch Review
From the ashes of Telltale Games[...] comes Dispatch, a superhero workplace comedy from AdHoc Studio...
Illinois marketplace extends health insurance enrollment deadline
Using its new power as a state-run marketplace, Get Covered Illinois is giving residents until Dec. 31 to enroll in health insurance coverage that begins with the new year.
Lansing Santa gives back to those he does business with
Bernaldo Hernandez, 65, dresses as Santa and waves to traffic outside of places he's given his business to during the year.
Amazon’s Kindle Scribe Colorsoft won’t replace your notebook — or your Kindle
It’s also $630.
Opinion | Why Both Republicans and Democrats Are Wrong About Health Care
The real issue is how to address overall cost. Haggling over Obamacare subsidies or what might replace them isn’t the solution.
Sharks place wingers Will Smith, Philipp Kurashev on injured reserve; no timetable for return given
The San Jose Sharks recalled wingers Igor Chernyshov and Ethan Cardwell in corresponding moves on Monday.
OpenAI’s Chief Communications Officer Is Leaving the Company
Hannah Wong told staff she is moving on to her “next chapter.” The company will be running an executive search to find a replacement, according to a memo.
LG quietly added an unremovable Microsoft Copilot app to TVs
The latest place you may find Microsoft Copilot is on your LG smart television, whether you want it or not.
Better Business Bureau warns of Labubu toy scams targeting holiday shoppers
Counterfeit versions of popular collectible flooding online marketplaces as demand soars
Spears Business marketing and communications director honored at 2025 Distinguished Service Awards
Multiple Spears School of Business staff members were recognized at the Staff Advisory Council Distinguished Service Award ceremony Dec. 11 in the Student Union. Stephen Howard, Spears Business director of marketing and communications, was a finalist and placed third among all eligible OSU-Stillwater staff members.
I spent Christmas and New Year's Eve on a cruise with a few family members. I doubt I'd ever do it again.
I was hesitant to book a 22-day Holland America cruise taking place over Christmas and New Year's Eve. It was fun, but I wouldn't do it again.
Expedition 33's Game Awards sweep fuels online drama and conspiracy theories
No amount of snarky posts or memes can undo the sincerity that helped Clair Obscur sweep in the first place.
Video games can get kids to practice science skills
Though some might see video games as a distraction, a new study suggests they can actually serve as a place to practice key science skills.
Who pays the most for 'typical' health costs? Detroiters spend a lot
While Detroit residents spend more than 13% on health care items, health care eats up far less in other places.
Stalker 2's Stories Untold update delivers a new questline and a place to chill in the Burnt Forest this week
Stalker 2's Stories Untold update, containing a new questline and hub in the Burnt Forest, releases December 16th.
Readers respond: Business-friendly Oregon falters on land development
Letters to the Editor can be submitted to letters@oregonian.com with full name and place of residence.
Science has always been marketed, from 18th-century coffeehouse demos of Newton’s ideas to today’s TikTok explainers
Science has always been part of a marketplace of ideas, where claims vie for audiences, resources and belief, and where power, persuasion and status shape which ideas are heard, trusted or forgotten.
Science has always been marketed, from 18th-century coffeehouse demos of Newton’s ideas to today’s TikTok explainers
Science has always been part of a marketplace of ideas, where claims vie for audiences, resources and belief, and where power, persuasion and status shape which ideas are heard, trusted or forgotten.
LG webOS TVs are now installing Microsoft Copilot automatically with no option to remove it
Reddit users say LG webOS update added Microsoft Copilot and locked it in place An owner of an LG TV has started a Reddit thread claiming that a recent
“The Bus” Keeps Rolling – Hurricanes 3, Flyers 2
The Carolina Hurricanes won their third straight shootout game as they outlasted the Philadelphia Flyers, 3-2 on Sunday night at the Lenovo Center. The win allowed Carolina to sweep the back-to-back and home-and-home series. The Canes now have a 21-9-2 record as they sit three points ahead of the second place New York Islanders in […]
NBA Total Health Fair offers free screenings and groceries in Las Vegas
The inaugural NBA Total Health Fair, presented by Evernorth Health Services, took place at the Bill & Lillie Heinrich YMCA on Sunday, providing no-cost health s
Refugee and migrant health system review in Lithuania
Lithuania has experienced a substantial increase in the number of refugees and migrants, particularly following the 2021 Belarus border situation and the mass displacement from Ukraine in 2022. By late 2024, over 91,000 Ukrainians had been cumulatively registered in Lithuania, with about 47,000 holding valid temporary protection status. This increase, alongside sizeable communities of Belarusian nationals, Russian citizens and other regular migrants covered under compulsory health insurance contributions, has brought new challenges for Lithuania’s health system, especially related to continuity of care, interpretation support and equitable access across municipalities. This report presents the findings of a joint review of the health system in Lithuania, conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO) in close collaboration with the Ministry of Health of Lithuania, and other partners. The review examines the capacity of Lithuania’s health system to provide services for refugees and migrants. It focuses on the health challenges facing refugees and migrants, the policies and systems in place to address these challenges, and the opportunities to strengthen long-term health system capacity. Furthermore, the report offers practical recommendations for addressing the barriers refugees and migrants face in accessing health services.
Nearly half of the 19,000 games released on Steam this year went almost unnoticed
Those numbers point to a widening gap between output and engagement on the world's largest PC game marketplace. Steam's open publishing model has dramatically lowered the barrier...
5 Free Apps That Can Replace Your Microsoft Office Subscription
If you are tired of paying a fortune for a Microsoft Office subscription, you must check out some alternative apps like Canva, Mailspring, and more.
Business Ins and Outs: Sushi place, Round the Clock, Honey Jam, Jimmy John's, Dunkin' and Tsunami Express opening
Business Ins and Outs: Sushi place, Round the Clock, Honey Jam, Jimmy John's, Dunkin' and Tsunami Express opening
Missouri sports betting market officially launched: Snag $3,000 in sportsbook sign-up bonuses today
Missourians can now place sports bets with mobile apps and get Missouri sports betting offers for the Missouri betting launch
The high cost of the U.S. sports betting boom
Betting eats into savings, not just fun money.
Former Starbucks To Be Demolished, Replaced With New Bank: CT Business News
Longtime Business Closes / CT's Top Restaurants, Chefs Of 2025 / Downtown Landmark Celebrates 50 Years / Stop & Shop Closing Store & More...
Readers respond: Political noise is drowning out proven science
Letters to the Editor can be submitted to letters@oregonian.com with full name and place of residence.
Tanning bed users are at higher risk of skin cancer, especially in unusual places
Indoor tanning is trending among Gen Z. A new study finds tanning bed users not only have a much higher risk of melanoma, they also have DNA damage linked to cancer across nearly their entire skin.
Small Business Technology News This Week: Does Microsoft Have “Shoddy” Products?
Also: Agents are increasingly being used in the enterprise and some think AI could replace seasonal workers.
Lee Cataluna: Selling Out On College Sports Is The New Career Plan
Sadly, a good college education is succumbing to fast money and superficial celebrity.
Washington Twp. business owner is an immigrant whose family won a lottery to come to the U.S.
The journey from his birthplace in the island country of Fiji to becoming a business owner in Washington Twp. was decades long for Ashwin Narayan.
‘Loopholes have won the day’: Cap? What cap? Spending on players growing even after NCAA settlement
Schools are promising coaches millions to build their rosters, far above the revenue-sharing limits put into place this year. Can anything stop the rising salaries?
The Edna Karr-St. Augustine state-title winner posts familiar result in Dome away from home
For Edna Karr, this was a business trip. A ride across the Crescent City Connection and into the place that felt like home.
Missouri sports betting market officially launched: Snag $3,000 in sportsbook sign-up bonuses now
Missourians can now place sports bets with mobile apps and get Missouri sports betting offers for the Missouri betting launch
Six Huskies Placed on HERO Sports Group of Five All-American Teams - University of Connecticut Athletics
STORRS, CT – The UConn Huskies placed six players on the 2025 HERO Sports Group of Five All-American team announced on Friday. Leading the way was wide recei...
Game Preview: San Jose Sharks @ Pittsburgh Penguins 12/13/25
Who: San Jose Sharks (15-14-3, 33 points, 5th place Pacific Division) @ Pittsburgh Penguins (14-8-7, 35 points, 5th place Metropolitan Division) When: 3:00 p.m. ET How to Watch: Broadcast locally on Sportsnet Pittsburgh and NBC Sports California, streaming on ESPN+ Pens’ Path Ahead: The homestand continues Sunday against the Utah Mammoth, followed by what could be a reunion with […]
Here's how much Galaxy Z TriFold's displays cost to replace
A report reveals how much you will have to pay to replace the outer and inner screens of the Galaxy Z TriFold in Korea.
Harvard Replaces Leader of Health Center Said to Have Focused on Palestinians
The center at the university’s public health school was also a focus of the Trump administration after having been examined in a Harvard antisemitism report earlier this year.
NASA’s Webb, Curiosity Named in TIME’s Best Inventions Hall of Fame
Two icons of discovery, NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope and NASA’s Curiosity rover, have earned places in TIME’s “Best Inventions Hall of Fame,” which
Trump's plan to limit student loans for nurses is facing bipartisan backlash
Over 140 bipartisan lawmakers wrote to oppose the Education Department's plan to place new student-loan limits on nursing programs.
December 12, 2025
Over the past century, most cancer research has focused on the tumor itself. Rakesh Jain focused on the tumor’s environment instead. Plus, a glacier’s edge can be a dangerous place to do research. One team is using robots and sound samples to monitor the melting ice. And, when cases of plague pop up in the US, it can feel straight up medieval. It’s treatable, but how and why does it persist?
‘This place will win’: Business leaders say West Palm Beach is becoming America’s next big boomtown
West Palm Beach has evolved from its retirement haven days, as tech firms, financial giants and entrepreneurs flock to one of the country's most sought-after business destinations.
E-Sports Week in Review
On December 2 and 9, Fortnite No Build finals took place. Each day had four matches, and the results each week stayed the same. Albion dropped Game 1 and were killed immediately. Each game saw better improvement, resulting in a top place of 13th for Game 4 for both weeks. Overall, the Britons placed 33rd in the finals.
The Legacy of Lara Croft Continues in Two New Tomb Raider Games
30 years after it all started, Lara Croft returns in one new adventure, Tomb Raider: Catalyst (2027) and a complete reimagining of her first, Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis (2026). Learn more inside:
Our California Health Plans Honored With Top Ratings
Kaiser Permanente receives 5 out of 5 stars for overall quality of care from the California Center for Data Insights and Innovation and from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
Seahawks To Host Small Businesses At Marketplace During Inspire Change Gameday On Sunday
During pregame of Sunday’s game vs. the Colts, there will be a marketplace featuring small businesses that are a part of Seattle’s Hawks Huddle small business partnership.
RFK Jr.’s Health Department Is Pondering a National Men’s Health Initiative
At an FDA discussion of testosterone replacement therapy, a top official called for special health centers to address a “men’s health crisis.” Others called to ease men’s access to hormones.
Video Health care in jeopardy for millions as Senate votes down competing proposals
Cynthia Cox, vice president of health policy group KFF, says premiums will likely increase next month for people who buy their health insurance on the ACA marketplace.
Gaza’s maternal and newborn health system ‘decimated’, UN warns
Gaza’s health system for mothers and newborns has been “decimated”, the UN said on Thursday, with Israeli attacks destroying almost all hospitals, cutting off medical supplies and driving sharp rises in maternal deaths, miscarriages and newborn fatalities amid mass displacement and hunger.
Science Lab: How the Cowboys Can Make the Playoffs
Welcome to "The Science Lab", a place where football facts and in-depth analysis always triumph over feelings.
How prioritizing wellbeing can boost retention, innovation, and your business's bottom line
Workplace wellbeing, energy, and belonging drive retention, innovation, and higher profits, as revealed by Indeed's employee happiness survey.
Senate Deadlocks Over Obamacare Subsidies in Dueling Votes
Republicans blocked Democrats’ effort to extend the expiring subsidies while Democrats thwarted a G.O.P. proposal to replace them with direct payments for basic health coverage.
Recent Trends in Commercial Health Insurance Market Concentration
Commercial health insurance markets remain highly concentrated across coverage types. However, the individual market, which consists mostly of the ACA Marketplaces, has attracted more insurers and witnessed greater insurer competition across a variety of measures since the implementation of the enhanced premium tax credits in 2021, according to a new Healthy System Tracker analysis.
Trump’s affordability argument just got the unlikeliest champion
The main reason Americans are upset about the economy: They are still adjusting to high prices that surged during years of runaway inflation that took place during former President Joe Biden’s term.
Game Preview: Montreal Canadiens @ Pittsburgh Penguins 12/11/25
Who: Montreal Canadiens (15-11-3, 33 points, 4th place Atlantic Division) @ Pittsburgh Penguins (14-7-7, 35 points, 4th place Metropolitan Division) When: 7:00 p.m. eastern How to Watch: Broadcast locally Sportsnet Pittsburgh, streaming on ESPN+ Pens’ Path Ahead: The long homestand rolls on with matinee games at PPG Paints this weekend against San Jose (3pm on Saturday) and Utah […]
The New WHO Pandemic Treaty and Global Health Governance: Incorporating Common but Differentiated Responsibilities into PABS - Georgetown Journal of International Affairs
On May 20, 2025, the World Health Assembly unanimously adopted the World Health Organization (WHO) Pandemic Agreement, an international treaty designed to strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response. The product of three years of arduous negotiations, the treaty marks a new era of global cooperation in public health. However, core aspects of the agreement remain unresolved—notably the Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) System, which is intended to ensure equitable access to pandemic-related materials and benefits. To support the successful implementation of the WHO Pandemic Agreement, the principle of “common but differentiated responsibilities” should be formally incorporated into the negotiating agenda of the PABS annex. Introduction For the first time, an international treaty has enshrined the principle of “One Health,” the compelling idea that the health of animals, humans, and the environment all contribute to pandemic risks. SARS (2003), H1N1 (2009–10), Ebola (2014–16), and COVID-19 all emerged through zoonotic spillover from animal hosts—respectively, civets, hogs, and bats. Together, they underscore the need for a coordinated, cross-sectoral approach. The Pandemic Agreement responds to this call, requiring state parties to acknowledge the ecological interplay and commit to a comprehensive “One Health” strategy. Specifically, Article 5 charges governments to address “the drivers of pandemics and the emergence and re-emergence of infectious disease at the human-animal-environment interface,” including wild animal markets, deforestation, and antibiotic overuse. Yet the effectiveness of this “One Health” vision depends equally on the free flow of scientific information and data among countries and institutions. Just as environmental and animal health factors have been neglected in past global frameworks, so too has data sharing been marginalized, despite its centrality to timely detection and response. The Pandemic Agreement takes an important step by requiring governments to enhance data collection and cooperate with the World Health Organization (WHO). However, these provisions will remain aspirational without a robust Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) annex. The PABS system will determine whether countries and researchers can rapidly exchange pathogen samples and genetic data while ensuring equitable access to resulting research and development, including diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines. Without such mechanisms, the treaty’s promise to operationalize “One Health” and strengthen global preparedness will risk becoming largely symbolic, echoing earlier failures to translate shared principles into coordinated action. Equity Concerns When the 2025 Health Assembly adopted the Pandemic Agreement, it left the difficult question of access to pathogens and the sharing of resulting benefits to be addressed in a separate agreement. Negotiations on this separate agreement, PABS, are now underway in Geneva. Yet governments remain divided over fundamental questions of equity between the countries that primarily contribute to the system and those that primarily draw from it—and consequently benefit. For example, wildlife in countries bordering the equator is likely to produce PABS materials, but companies in Europe are likely to use them to develop lucrative products. The most likely contributor countries are likely to be those biodiverse countries around the equator, such as Brazil, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Indonesia, where the number of human-mammalian viral host interactions is large. Conversely, countries most likely to benefit from this material are those with the technology, investors, and infrastructure to capitalize on genomic data, such as the United States, EU member states, and Japan. This imbalance reflects a broader pattern seen in prior international frameworks. Now, as in the past, the wealthiest countries in the world (a useful heuristic is membership of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)) disproportionately benefit from systems in which pathogens and genomic sequencing data are contributed to a common source. Under the International Agreement on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (the “Plant Treaty” or “Seed Treaty”) and the Pandemic Influenza Preparedness (PIP) Framework, companies from Europe and North America disproportionately withdraw biological samples and data for development into lucrative medical products. Their governments and companies have both statutory and contractual claims to the products that those companies correspondingly produce. PABS appears poised to follow the same pattern. The text calls for strong language on access to pathogens and associated data, but the corresponding benefits that should flow to poorer countries are couched in equivocal or non-binding language. Common but Differentiated Responsibilities To address these inequities, the principle of “common but differentiated responsibilities” should be formally incorporated into the negotiating agenda of the PABS annex. Common but differentiated responsibilities are often a feature of climate change negotiations. The basic principle is that, even though all countries should reduce carbon emissions, governments that became rich and powerful through massive carbon emissions (e.g., France, the United Kingdom, the United States) should have a greater obligation to address the resulting crises. Applied to PABS, it would require that governments hosting and supporting companies developing lucrative products carry greater obligations toward the cost of running the PABS system; share benefits or final medical products; and transfer technology to help countries worldwide develop their own capacities to innovate and manufacture vaccines during an emergency. For example, an annex could mandate that any company based in an OECD country that withdraws PABS material would be obligated to donate the resulting diagnostics, therapeutics, or vaccines to the WHO during a public health emergency or pandemic. Questions remain about how robust those donations would be, but the principle is that they should deliver highly significant lifesaving benefits to be equitably shared. Theoretically, this approach mirrors the PIP Framework, in which companies withdrawing influenza samples are required to pay half of the operating costs. In practice, however, the framework has fallen short. The PIP Framework Secretariat has struggled to secure payments from companies, with companies often disagreeing over how much is owed. Additionally, without another pandemic influenza to test the strength of the agreement during a public health emergency, corporate compliance with sharing mechanisms remains unknown. Even if these limitations did not characterize the PIP Framework, partially paying for operating expenses does not address the inequity in access to genetic data and pathogen samples that left less developed countries last in line for COVID-19 vaccines (and, before them, H1N1). Common but differentiated responsibilities would go further, addressing governments’ legitimate grievances regarding information sharing. It would make withdrawals of PABS material and resulting products more transparent, building trust across the board. Enforcement and Enduring Success A key implication of this approach is that the governing mechanism of the PABS must have real enforcement authority. The WHO Pandemic Agreement delegates its core governance responsibilities to a Conference of the Parties (COP)—a governing body composed of one representative from each participating government, similar to those established under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. The proposed WHO Pandemic Agreement COP is charged with oversight functions but ultimately possesses no real authority to compel a government to take any action it does not wish to take. The text does not give the COP the ability to, for example, sanction a party that does not comply with either textual obligations or PABS provisions. In other words, there are no effective mechanisms in place to ensure compliance. Perhaps just as significant, establishing a meaningful enforcement mechanism within the PABS system would strengthen the WHO’s credibility and its ability to ensure compliance across global health governance. By setting a precedent for accountability, such a mechanism could enhance the organization’s authority not only within the Pandemic Agreement but also in enforcing the revised International Health Regulations and other frameworks for public health emergencies. Conclusion The PABS annex can—and should—be different. It should establish clear responsibilities for funding as well as for sharing the diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines that result from contributions to the system. The system, in turn, must include a dedicated body empowered to hold governments and the corporations they sponsor accountable for their responsibilities before, during, and after pandemics. Doing so would restore trust in the broader agreement, which was eroded as commitments were repeatedly diluted while parties scrambled to meet their own self-imposed deadlines during the Pandemic Agreement negotiations. A robust PABS Annex would cement a grand social bargain. Wealthier countries and their corporations would gain unimpeded access to scientific information essential for developing and manufacturing lifesaving medical products. As such, they would stand to gain considerable economic benefit. Yet that privilege must be matched with responsibility. The grand bargain must include not only the right to innovate, but also the duty to ensure that innovation serves all. As medical products are developed and produced through collective contributions, every person must have equal access. All human beings deserve an equitable chance to survive—to save their own life, the lives of their families, and the well-being of their communities. … Sam Halabi, JD, MPhil, is the Bette Jacobs Endowed Professor at Georgetown University’s School of Health and the Director of the Center for Transformational Health Law at Georgetown Law. He serves as the co-lead for the WHO’s Working Group on Regulatory Consideration on AI and Health’s training workstream. He earned his JD from Harvard, his MPhil from Oxford, and undergraduate degrees from Kansas State University. Lawrence Gostin, LLD (Hon.), JD, BA, is University Distinguished Professor and Founding Director and Timothy and Linda O’Neill Professor of the O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law. He is the author of Global Health Security: A Blueprint for the Future (Harvard University Press, 2021); Global Health Law (Harvard University Press, 2014); Public Health Law: Power, Duty, Restraint (University of California Press, 3rd ed., 2016); Public Health Law and Ethics: A Reader (University of California Press, 3rd ed., 2018); Law and the Health System (Foundation Press, 2014); Principles of Mental Health Law & Practice (Oxford University Press, 2010). He also directs the WHO Collaborating Center at Georgetown University. Image Credit: United States Mission Geneva, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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