Public Health · National Security · Foreign Policy·February 13, 2025
HHS withdraws from WHO as 124 nations sign pandemic treaty
US withdraws from WHO pandemic preparedness treaty negotiations
On 2025-02-13, Secretary of Health and Human Services Mandy Cohen signed the U.S. withdrawal notice to WHO under 42 U.S.C. § 247d, triggering the one-year notice period required by Article 7 of the WHO constitution (HHS letter; WHO constitution).
The United States’ assessed contributions to WHO totaled approximately $693 million in FY 2024, a funding stream that would be at risk if the withdrawal finalizes (KFF budget tracker).
The International Health Security Review Act allows Congress to block a treaty exit via a privileged resolution within 60 days, and Senator Jeanne Shaheen’s Senate Joint Resolution 18 would impose a two-thirds Senate vote requirement to approve any withdrawal (Congressional Record; Congress.gov S.J.Res.18).
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