The United States officially withdrew from the World Health Organization (WHO) on January 22, 2026, which the article says makes it more difficult to achieve American interests, especially as the current administration simultaneously divests itself of much of its public health infrastructure[6]. Leaving the WHO means losing access to the Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System, which will severely hamper efforts to adapt vaccines to circulating strains[5]. The United States is also moving away from the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, which relies on a WHO presence in nearly all countries[6]. Research suggests an almost 50 percent chance of another pandemic of a similar scale to COVID-19 (with more than 25 million global deaths) in the next 25 years[6]. Without access to reliable data and situational updates through the WHO, US health authorities will be working without the necessary information when developing responses or vaccines[6]. The article also points out that more than 10,000 people with PhDs in science will leave the federal workforce in 2024[6].