SAGE workplan
SAGE work planning process
In order to be responsive to requests for SAGE advice and to maintain a high-quality review of evidence, the SAGE work planning process is used.
In brief, the SAGE Secretariat solicits requests for SAGE advice from within and outside WHO, including WHO regional offices, technical partners, key stakeholders, SAGE members and the Secretariat. The proposed topics are assessed as to their suitability for SAGE advice. Some of the aspects that are considered include the following: What are the questions for which SAGE advice is being sought? Is a SAGE decision needed? What is the expected output or products? What is the expected impact? Will a SAGE session result in the desired result or should the topic go to a different advisory body or be grouped into other ongoing work? What is the context and the requested timeframe for getting SAGE advice?
Based on this assessment, the SAGE Secretariat determines whether the topic will be considered as a potential SAGE topic. On a yearly basis, and following consultation with WHO regional offices, the potential SAGE topics are reviewed by the SAGE Secretariat, the IVB senior management, and the SAGE Chair. Each topic will be considered based on the need for SAGE advice within the next 6-24 months, how the topic relates to WHO priorities and resources, and the required preparatory work for a SAGE deliberation. Based on this review, a SAGE short list of topics is established and posted on the SAGE website.
The SAGE short list of topics
The topics on this list have been prioritized for deliberation by SAGE in the coming 6-24 months and work is underway to gather evidence to inform the discussions and development of SAGE advice. This list is not exhaustive and adjustments can be made at any time.
| Topics | Discussion Items |
|---|---|
| COVID-19 Vaccination | Advise on the use of Covid-19 vaccines. |
| Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030) | Advise on the monitoring and evaluation of IA 2030 and on key thematic highlights. |
| Meningococcal vaccines and vaccination | Advise on the use of meningococcal B vaccines and on the use of multivalent meningococcal vaccines. |
| Orthopox viruses | Advice on the use of vaccines in the case of monkeypox outbreaks and on its implications for vaccine stockpile management. |
| Pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCV) | Advise on PCV schedule optimization, and on its use in multi-age cohort campaigns in outbreaks, humanitarian and low coverage settings, review of newer PCV products (higher and lower valency products, review of fractional dose PCV study data). |
| Polio | Advise on the monitoring of wider novel oral poliovirus type 2 vaccine
(nOPV2) use for response to circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2
(cVDPV2) outbreaks. Advise on inactivated polio vaccines (IPV) use in outbreak response and routine immunization. Advice on bOPV cessation planning. |
| Typhoid | Advise on the use of typhoid conjugate vaccines and schedule optimization. |
| Varicella and Zoster | Advise on the use of varicella and zoster vaccines. |
| New topics to start in 2025 | |
| Chikungunya | Advise on the use of chikungunya vaccines (start in Q2 2025). |
| Japanese encephalitis (JE) | Revise recommendations for JE vaccine use ( start in Q2 2025). |
| Pertussis | Revise recommendations for Pertussis vaccine use ( start in Q1 2025). |