Blog | 1/16/2026
Sharp Strategy Spotlight
Strategic perspectives on the trends, policies, and ideas shaping healthcare.
NOTE: All words/analysis are those from the source noted, opinions are those of the original authors and not reflective of Health Advances in general nor any individual. All sources are non-confidential and in the public domain (but some may be behind paywalls).
This issue reflects news as of 11 AM on January 22, 2026. The details and broad themes may have changed.
KEY HEALTH NEWS (Global)
As U.S. prepares to exit WHO, it is stiffing the agency on a large bill
- When the United States’ withdrawal from the World Health Organization goes into effect Thursday, the world’s largest economy will be leaving the global health agency with a hefty unpaid bill.
- The U.S. has not made good on its assessed contributions for the past two years — including the final year of the Biden administration — effectively stiffing the WHO on a bill of roughly $278 million. In addition, several hundred million dollars in promised voluntary contributions for 2025 — and to a lesser extent for 2024 — have also not been delivered.
- Voluntary contributions are earmarked funds a country provides the WHO to support work that is of particular interest to that country.
- Under the provisions of a congressional resolution that allowed the country to join the nascent global health agency in 1948, the U.S. is supposed to pay at least some of that outstanding bill before leaving the organization. And in a WHO press conference last week, the agency’s principal legal officer, Steven Solomon, suggested its member states will study the issue to determine if the U.S. has met the requirements for leaving.
- https://www.statnews.com/2026/01/21/trump-withdrawal-world-health-organization-leaves-unpaid-bills-behind/ (subscription required for full text)