Ad Hoc Policy advisory Working Group on Influenza A(H1N1) vaccines (Established April 2009)

Terms of Reference

• Provide technical advice and support to the WHO Secretariat on identification of essential evidence gaps to inform potential recommendations on the use of Influenza A(H1N1) vaccines, and on possible avenues to acquire priority missing information.
• Facilitate a SAGE review and recommendation on the potential use of Influenza A(H1N1) vaccines (e.g. target populations, target age groups, product formulation, and post-market surveillance).

Composition

SAGE Members

• David Salisbury, Chair
• Jon Abramson
• Supamit Chunsuttiwat

Experts

• Neil Ferguson, Imperial College, UK
• Teeranart Jivapaisarnpong, Ministry of Public Health, Thailand
• Paul-Henri Lambert, Centre Médical Universitaire, Switzerland
• Joahnnes Loewer, Paul-Ehrlich Institut, Germany
• Karen Midthun, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, USA (Member of the Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety (GACVS))
• Phillip Minor, National Institute for Biological Standards and Control, UK (Chair of WHO Expert Committee on Biological Standardization (ECBS))
• Albert Osterhaus, Eramus MC, Netherlands
• Stefania Salmaso, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Italy (GACVS member)
• Peter Smith, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK (Chair, GACVS)

WHO secretariat

• Marie-Paule Kieny
• Philippe Duclos

DECLARATION OF INTERESTS FOR WHO EXPERTS

All members completed a declaration of interest. Only two members reported any interests.

Dr Neil Ferguson
Dr Neil Ferguson reported receiving small consultancy fees from Baxter, GlaxoSmithKline and Roche for serving on scientific advisory boards and presenting at symposiums. He also received limited amount of consultancy fees from insurance companies (Swiss Re, RMS Ltd.,) and Serco Ltd., a logistics company for advice on pandemic risk and planning. These payments occurred prior to 2008.

Professor Albert Osterhaus
Professor Albert Osterhaus is employed by both Erasmus MC (0.8 full time equivalent) and Viroclinics Biosciences BV (0.2 full time equivalent). Erasmus MC is receiving major grant support from the European Commission and Dutch National Genomics to contribute to countering the public health threat caused by new and emerging infectious diseases in Europe and for development of novel intervention strategies against respiratory viral infections respectively. He holds share certificates of Viroclinics Biosciences BV (9.9%) and holds minority shares in Isoconova AB. Previously he held share certificates with Coronovative. He is also Chairman of the European Scientific Working Group on Influenza, an independent group of European scientists promoting the study of influenza.

Last reviewed: 17 November 2009