Seasonal influenza virus sharing is already being negatively impacted by national implementation of the Nagoya Protocol in some countries. Several instances have been reported by the WHO Collaborating Centers where countries have delayed, or stopped altogether, the sharing of seasonal influenza virus samples on the grounds of conflict with local access and benefit sharing legislation, despite the existence of pre-existing WHO Terms of Reference for National Influenza Centers to supply influenza viruses to WHO Collaborating Centers.
The GISRS network works effectively and efficiently to collect comprehensive influenza data in a timely manner, to ensure that the best matched seasonal vaccines are developed and to also rapidly detect the emergence of influenza pandemic influenza strains.
The PIP Framework relies on a functioning GISRS network in order to ensure the fair, transparent, equitable, efficient, effective system for, on an equal footing, the sharing of influenza viruses with pandemic potential; any delay in the sharing of influenza viruses will seriously impact its ability to achieve this.