Commentary
For two years, the 196 State Parties to the 2005 International Health Regulations (IHR)—composed of 194 Member States of the World Health Organization (WHO), and Liechtenstein and the Vatican—have been submitting and discussing proposed amendments to update this agreement. Introduced in the 1960s, the IHR are intended to strengthen national capacities and improve coordination among countries in the event of a health emergency. Though a legally binding agreement under international law (i.e., a treaty), most of the provisions have always been voluntary.
