The Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit sharing is an international agreement that became effective in 2014, whose objective is "the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources". It requires users to obtain authorization from the country of origin before accessing a genetic resource and to negotiate the terms and conditions of its use.

While the intention of the Protocol is to contribute to the sustainable use of biodiversity, its application to the field of infectious pathogens has resulted in increased bureaucracy, which makes it difficult to share strains and sequences. This red tape hampers innovation in the field of vaccines against FMD and other transboundary diseases (FAST) and it is ultimately detrimental for disease control and pandemic preparedness.

The Pandemic Influenza Preparedness (PIP) framework could be used as example of a framework that facilitates rapid sharing of virus strains, sequences and information. The veterinary scientific community and the international organizations needs to come together to define a similar innovative framework for FAST animal pathogens and ultimately exclude them from the scope of the Nagoya Protocol.