Health
WHO chief says 'Disease X' preparation treaty in jeopardy, loss of sovereignty is ‘fake news’
The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) has said that the organization’s May deadline for getting a global pandemic treaty agreed to prepare for “Disease X” is in jeopardy and any notion that the accord would cede national sovereignty is the result of “fake news, lies, and conspiracy theories.”
WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus complained that “several outstanding issues” still needed to be resolved by governments and that time was “very short” to find consensus. World leaders and officials had previously committed to a May deadline but Tedros, who goes by his first name, said he fears that the cutoff date is at risk of not being met.
“I must say that I’m concerned that member states may not make that commitment,” Tedros said in front of the WHO’s executive board in Geneva on Monday.
“A failure to deliver the pandemic agreement and the IHR (International Health Regulations) amendments will be a missed opportunity for which future generations may not forgive us,” Tedros said.
World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus wants a pandemic treaty agreed to prepare for Disease x. (Lian Yi/Xinhua via Getty Images)
WHO DIRECTOR CALLS FOR WORLD PANDEMIC TREATY TO PREPARE FOR DISEASE X
The IHR is a legally binding agreement that requires countries – including the U.S. – to conduct surveillance for potential international health threats of all kinds and report those to the WHO in a timely manner.
Tedros told the World Economic Forum last week that COVID-19 was the first Disease X and called on nations to sign up to the treaty so that there can be a collective response should another pandemic strike.
Disease X is a hypothetical “placeholder” virus that has not yet been formed, but scientists say it could be 20 times deadlier than COVID-19. It was added to the WHO’s short list of pathogens for research in 2017 that could cause a “serious international epidemic,” according to a 2022 WHO press release.
“Over the past two years, the intergovernmental negotiating body and the working group on amendments to the IHR, have been moving toward a common goal: to build a healthier, safer, and more equitable world,” Tedros said.
“This is our chance – maybe our only chance – to get this done, because we have the momentum.”
Tedros did not mention Disease X by name in the speech, but warned of “emerging threats” and said a treaty was urgently needed to strengthen “pandemic prevention, preparedness and response.”
An illustrative image of a person holding a medical syringe and a COVID-19 vaccine vial in front of the World Health Organization logo displayed on a screen. Tedros argued that by putting the agreement in place, nations would have timely access to critical response products, such as diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines. (Artur Widak/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
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Tedros argued that by putting the agreement in place, nations would have timely access to critical response products, such as diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines.
“This is the only way we can make the world safer for our children, and our children’s children – through working together,” Tedros said. “It is difficult to overstate the importance and urgency of this work.”
Critics, including Advancing American Freedom (AAF), argue that the legally binding treaty would cede sovereignty to a global organization and that it amounts to a power grab. The AAF is a non-profit advocacy group founded by former Vice President Mike Pence.
“The [WHO] proposal to consolidate power and erode the United States of America of its sovereignty through the WHO Pandemic Preparedness Treaty is untenable and raises serious and significant questions regarding America’s independence of action and ability to respond to global pandemics,” a letter published by the AAF on Tuesday reads.
Furthermore, the AAF points out that the treaty — ostensibly intended to save lives through international prioritization of the best medical practices — emphasizes race and “equity” before almost every other value in its “general principles and approaches.”
Former US Vice President Mike Pence’s Advancing American Freedom (AAF) non-profit argues that the legally binding treaty would cede sovereignty to a global organization. (Robyn Beck)
“It presents ‘equity’ as its third general principle, ahead of responsibility, transparency, accountability, and science and evidence – principles that are magnitudes more important than ‘equity’ during a global pandemic,” the letter reads.
Tedros, in his Monday speech, dismissed suggestions the pact would result in countries losing sovereignty.
“There are those who claim that the pandemic agreement and IHR will cede sovereignty to WHO and give the WHO Secretariat the power to impose lockdowns or vaccine mandates on countries. You know this is fake news, lies, and conspiracy theories,” Tedros said.
“These claims are completely false. You know that the agreement will give WHO no such powers, because you are writing it.”
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Yoga is known to boost relaxation, strength and flexibility – and now a new study has found the practice could improve cancer survivors’ quality of life.
A randomized trial led by the University of Rochester Medical Center found that a four-week yoga program significantly reduced insomnia, fatigue, anxiety and mood disturbances after cancer treatment.
The findings were presented last week at the 2026 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting in Chicago.
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The study was conducted across multiple U.S. community cancer care sites, including 410 adult cancer survivors averaging 54 years of age. Around 75% were breast cancer survivors, and none of them had practiced yoga regularly within the prior three months.
A randomized trial led by the University of Rochester Medical Center found that a four-week yoga program significantly reduced insomnia, fatigue, anxiety and mood disturbances in cancer survivors. (iStock)
The participants were randomly assigned to two groups. Half of them received only standard survivorship care without the yoga, while the other half received standard care and were also enrolled in the Yoga for Cancer Survivors (YOCAS) program.
As part of the YOCAS program, the survivors completed two instructor-led 75-minute yoga sessions each week, including 18 Gentle Hatha yoga and Restorative yoga poses, breathing exercises and mindfulness training.
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Based on questionnaires completed by the patients, the survivors in the yoga group experienced “moderate-to-large” reductions in overall mood disturbance, “small-to-medium” reductions in anxiety and “medium-to-large” reductions in fatigue, the study found.
The improvements in mood and fatigue appeared to be linked to yoga’s beneficial effect on sleep quality, according to the researchers.
As part of the YOCAS program, the survivors completed two instructor-led 75-minute yoga sessions each week, including 18 Gentle Hatha yoga and Restorative yoga poses, breathing exercises and mindfulness training. (iStock)
“This indicates that cancer survivors have an option to alleviate these cancer-related side effects at the same time, without adding another drug,” lead investigator Yuri Choi, PhD, of the Wilmot Cancer Institute, University of Rochester Medical Center, in Rochester, New York, told Fox News Digital.
The study did not reveal any major safety concerns or serious adverse events related to the yoga practice.
“This indicates that cancer survivors have an option to alleviate these cancer-related side effects at the same time, without adding another drug.”
The study did have some limitations, chiefly that the findings are preliminary and have not yet been peer-reviewed for a medical publication.
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“The sample in our clinical trial was relatively homogeneous, with most participants being women (96%), breast cancer patients (75%), Caucasian (93%), and having some college or higher education (82%),” noted Choi.
“We are adapting our intervention to reach all cancer patients and survivors, including the creation of a mobile app to reach people in rural communities.”
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The research also excluded patients with metastatic cancer (whose disease had spread to other parts of the body).
The total study was only four weeks, so more research is needed to determine long-term benefits.
If the findings are confirmed by peer-reviewed publications, this could lead to recommendations for structured yoga programs as a non-drug supportive therapy for cancer survivors, the researchers noted. (iStock)
If the findings are confirmed by peer-reviewed publications, this could lead to recommendations for structured yoga programs as a non-drug supportive therapy for cancer survivors, the researchers noted.
Some yoga studios may use different names for Gentle Hatha and Restorative yoga, such as Foundations Yoga or Healing Yoga, Choi noted.
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“Survivors should also look for certified yoga instructors who have experience working with cancer patients/survivors or individuals with other challenging health conditions,” the researcher advised. “They should not be afraid to ask their oncology team for referrals to qualified instructors in their community.”
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Choi also noted that the research did not reveal whether other types of yoga, such as heated-room or rigorous-flow yoga, are safe or beneficial for cancer survivors.
The study was funded by the National Cancer Institute.
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