IHR 2005

About IHR 2005

The International Health Regulations 2005 are the binding legal framework for global health security. The IHR require WHO member states to develop core capacities for surveillance and response and to report events of potential public health concern. The IHR were revised after SARS in 2003 to be more robust. Key provisions include the PHEIC mechanism, requirements for points of entry, and information sharing obligations. However, assessments have repeatedly found that many countries had not fully met core capacity requirements. Reviews of the early COVID response, including by the Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response, concluded that the alert system under the IHR did not operate with sufficient speed. The IHR lack effective enforcement mechanisms. On 1 June 2024, the World Health Assembly adopted amendments to the IHR, including a new pandemic emergency alert level; they entered into force on 19 September 2025. The revised IHR also require countries to share information about novel pathogens more quickly. The IHR remain the primary legal instrument for global health security despite their limitations. Together with the WHO Pandemic Agreement adopted in 2025, the amended IHR aim to strengthen preparedness.