PAHO moves to reserve pandemic influenza vaccine supply for Latin America and the Caribbean
THE PAN AMERICAN Health Organization (PAHO) on Tuesday, May 12, 2026 announced a historic agreement with CSL Seqirus aimed at securing a reserved share of pandemic influenza vaccines production for countries in Latin America and the Caribbean in the case of a future influenza pandemic.
The agreement establishes a mechanism that reserves a fixed percentage of the company’s global pandemic influenza vaccine output for participating PAHO Member States.
Participating countries will have the option to access an initial reserved allocation of vaccines, a PAHO release states.
“This agreement is a direct response to the hard lessons of COVID-19 and a major step forward in strengthening health security and pandemic preparedness across the Americas,” said PAHO Director Dr. Jarbas Barbosa.
“Through our Regional
Revolving Funds, countries are joining forces to secure a reserved share of vaccine production, helping protect those at risk when it matters most.”
Under the agreement, CSL Seqirus will lead the development of pandemic influenza vaccines and facilitate technology transfer efforts, drawing on its decades of experience in influenza science and largescale manufacturing.
Through collaboration with Argentina’s Sinergium Biotech, part of the production will take place in Argentina, strengthening local manufacturing capacity and supply chain resilience, another key lesson drawn from the COVID-19 pandemic.
“This agreement puts pandemic preparedness best practices into action, bringing together reserved doses, regional manufacturing capability, and a long-term public-private commitment,” said David Executive Vice President and General Manager, CSL Seqirus David Ross.
“We’re proud to establish this kind of partnership in Latin America and the Caribbean for the first time.”
Reached after an international competitive procurement process and a year-long negotiation, the agreement seeks to shorten the time needed to secure vaccines during a public health emergency, when global demand surges and competition for limited supplies intensifies. It is among the first arrangement of its kind designed specifically to improve access for middle-income countries, which have historically faced significant disadvantages in global markets.
By enabling countries to pool demand and negotiate as a bloc, PAHO’s Regional Revolving Funds give Latin America and the Caribbean the ability to secure terms and conditions comparable to those available to higher-income countries, helping improve equitable access in a highly competitive global market.
PAHO will allocate the reserved doses based on epidemiological evidence and public health risk, with priority given to the most vulnerable populations. By reserving supply in advance and establishing clear allocation mechanisms, the agreement shifts the region from a reactive to a more proactive approach to pandemic response.
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