One Health: a key element in the WHO Pandemic Agreement

• Published in: The Lancet (British edition) Vol. 405; no. 10496; pp. 2197 - 2198
• Main Authors: Zhang, Xiao-Xi, Guo, Xiao-Kui, Zhou, Xiao-Nong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 21.06.2025; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Agreements; Animal human relations; Collaboration; COVID-19; Disease; Environmental health; Global health; Monitoring systems; Pandemics; Risk taking; Zoonoses
• ISSN: 0140-6736; 1474-547X; 1474-547X
• DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(25)01118-3

The ongoing threats of pandemics, such as COVID-19, underscore the urgency of rethinking outdated models, as pathogens spill over from animals to humans due to ecological changes and human–animal interactions. 2 The One Health framework proposed in the WHO Pandemic Agreement is a promising, although not flawless, response. Academic institutions play a critical role in providing tools for rigorous economic evaluations of One Health investments. 3 These studies can quantify the cost–benefit dynamics of pandemic preparedness interventions, enhancing the willingness of policy makers to adopt One Health strategies despite resource constraints. Participatory disease monitoring and citizen science initiatives can improve data timeliness and coverage, bridging gaps left by traditional official monitoring systems. 5 Additionally, community health education can reduce high-risk behaviours that facilitate zoonotic transmission.