Lawrence O. Gostin is a distinguished professor at Georgetown University Law Center and directs the World Health Organization Center on National and Global Health Law. President Donald Trump’s unilateral withdrawal from the World Health Organization is a historic and ruinous event. Key to the security of any country is the scientific information needed to prepare for, prevent and respond to pandemics and other global threats. The WHO’s Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System monitors influenza epidemiology (the currently circulating strain has caused 230,000 hospitalizations in the U.S.). The same is true for the WHO’s Global Measles and Rubella Laboratory Network.

Source: Washington Post January 28, 2026 01:32 UTC