WHO Optimizing Immunization Schedules Project
Request For Proposals for the WHO Optimizing Immunization Schedules Project, 2012
Research objectives
The primary objective of this RFP is to solicit the review, evaluation and summarization of data regarding the safety and effectiveness of childhood immunization schedules for selected vaccines. Specifically, this RFP is to seek proposals to review the evidence on the following vaccines: Diphtheria (D), Tetanus(T), acellular and whole cell Pertussis (aP & wP) and Hepatitis B (Hep B) vaccines. Considering that DTP vaccines are very often administered and evaluated as combination vaccines, it is proposed this work will entail two systematic reviews: one to include the evidence regarding DTP vaccines and the second to include the evidence regarding Hep B vaccines.
Successful applicant teams will use replicable search strategies to perform a systematic review of the peer reviewed literature in order to include all relevant studies. The review should be conducted in accordance with international standards for the conduct and reporting of systematic reviews (e.g. PRISMA and MOOSE), and should include but need not be limited to the following objectives:
- Perform a systematic review of the peer reviewed literature to identify relevant publications and sources reporting relevant data.
- Critically appraise the published literature with regard to the appropriateness of the methodology and the analyses performed, and how this may have influenced any conclusions.
- As appropriate, perform quantitative or qualitative syntheses of the available evidence, with regard to safety and effectiveness of the vaccines, and identify areas where key evidence is lacking.
- There is also particular interest in the evaluation of data quality. The review groups may consider issues in the collection of these data, including ascertainment biases, and identify opportunities for improvements in future studies. The quality of the data should be an important focus of this effort.