India, April 28 -- On April 16, a new global public health treaty emerged after prolonged multilateral negotiations, among the member-States of the World Health Organization (WHO). The Pandemic Treaty is the second global public health treaty steered by WHO. The first was the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), adopted in 2003. I was a member of the Indian delegation that won global acclaim for ensuring a strong FCTC, despite opposition from the US, Japan and Argentina, alongside hesitancy from some members of the European Union. It was clear then that economic interests around the tobacco trade often prevailed over widely proclaimed commitments to public health.

Similar prioritisation of national trade interests marred negot...