While President Trump withdrew the U.S. from the World Health Organization (WHO), distancing the country from the controversial WHO Pandemic Treaty, many key allies have signed on to the evolving agreement.

The treaty grants sweeping new powers to the WHO during future pandemics—including support for high-risk gain-of-function research, the type many believe contributed to the emergence of SARS-CoV-2.

As global leaders push forward, critical questions remain: Who controls pandemic response—and at what cost to national sovereignty and public safety?