Issued on: 1 April 2021
Extended deadline: 16 May 2021
The World Health Organization (WHO) is seeking experts to serve as members of the Technical Advisory Group on Tuberculosis Diagnostics and Laboratory Strengthening. This “Call for experts” provides information about the Advisory Group in question, the expert profiles being sought, the process to express interest, and the process of selection.
Background
The landscape of TB diagnostics has evolved considerably over the last 10 years, particularly in the form of new molecular tools to identify M. tuberculosis and detect drug resistance. With such advances, the Global TB Programme of the World Health Organization (WHO) is committed to rapidly evaluate and provide guidance on novel diagnostic technologies and approaches to advancing universal access to tuberculosis (TB) care services, including diagnostics. WHO policies are developed through a guideline development processes, assessing available evidence, to inform and guide Member States and help accelerate their response to end TB.
While WHO guideline development processes primarily address specific questions about the effectiveness, performance and safety of broad clinical and public health interventions, there are other important questions that require technical evaluations that cover policy-related issues, standards and norms. In such a context, expediated evidence assessments as well as other expert consultations have been adopted to provide additional insights on how to manage technical aspects and challenges on the implementation.
To help and boost the adoption and implementation of new tools, specifically in the area of TB diagnostics and laboratory strengthening, while addressing critical knowledge gaps, the WHO Global TB Programme will be establishing a Technical Advisory Group which will serve as a platform to seek advice on scientific and technical matters that cannot be dealt with or resolved through Guideline Development Groups. This Technical Advisory Group on Tuberculosis Diagnostics and Laboratory Strengthening will be composed of experts on TB diagnostics and clinical laboratory sciences, with the mandate and principles set out below.
Functions of the Technical Advisory Group on Tuberculosis Diagnostics and Laboratory Strengthening
In its capacity as an advisory body to WHO, the Technical Advisory Group shall have the following functions:
- Advise WHO on priorities for TB diagnostic strategies that are identified by the WHO Secretariat in response to the needs of Member States and in line with the work of the existing Strategic and Technical Advisory Group for Tuberculosis (STAG-TB); and
- Provide rapid, independent evaluation and advice to WHO on scientific and technical aspects of TB diagnostic tools, technologies, methods and approaches which cannot be addressed within the scope of established WHO guideline development processes.
Operations of the Technical Advisory Group on Tuberculosis Diagnostics and Laboratory Strengthening
The Technical Advisory Group shall normally meet at least once each year. However, WHO may convene additional meetings. Meetings may be held in person (at WHO headquarters in Geneva or another location, as determined by WHO) or virtually, via video or teleconference. Open sessions shall be convened for the sole purpose of the exchange of non-confidential information and views, and may be attended by Observers. Sessions dealing with advice to WHO shall be restricted to the members of the Technical Advisory Group and essential WHO Secretariat staff.
Membership in the Technical Advisory Group may be terminated at any time by WHO, if WHO’s interest so requires, or for any of the following reasons:
- failure to attend two consecutive meetings of Technical Advisory Group;
- a conflict of interest incompatible with serving on the Technical Advisory Group; and
- a lack of professionalism involving, for example, a breach of confidentiality.
For additional information about the operations of the Technical Advisory Group on Tuberculosis Diagnostics and Laboratory Strengthening, please see the Terms of Reference.
Who can express interest?
The Technical Advisory Group on TB Diagnostics and Laboratory Strengthening will be multidisciplinary, with members who have a range of technical knowledge, skills and experience relevant to TB diagnostics and clinical laboratory sciences. Approximately 25 may be selected.
In the selection of members of this Technical Advisory Group, due consideration will be given to attaining the broadest possible international representation in terms of diversity of knowledge, experience and approaches, equitable geographical representation and gender balance as per WHO rules and regulations.
WHO welcomes expressions of interest from:
Experts, from high and low TB-burden settings, with an excellent track record and expertise in the following areas:
- microbiology/mycobacteriology and molecular biology;
- TB genomics, computational sciences;
- antimicrobial resistance;
- pricing, procurement and/or regulation of medical devices;
- health systems and/or and programme delivery.
Clinicians (including paediatricians), infectious disease specialists and scientists/researchers with a strong background and experience in TB diagnostics will also be considered.
In addition, to ensure that the perspectives and needs of TB patients and their communities are considered in any of the decisions made by this Technical Advisory Group, persons with experience on civil society matters and a strong record leading community activities on patient care and TB laboratory strengthening are also invited to submit their applications in their personal/individual capacity and not as representatives of their institutions
.
Submitting your expression of interest
To register your interest in being considered for the Technical Advisory Group on Tuberculosis Diagnostics and Laboratory Strengthening, please submit the following documents through the below link by 30 April 2021, 24:00h (midnight) Geneva time:
- A cover letter, indicating your motivation to apply and how you satisfy the selection criteria. Please note that, if selected, membership will be in a personal capacity. Therefore do not use the letterhead or other identification of your employer);
- Your curriculum vitae; and
- A signed and completed Declaration of Interests (DOI) form for WHO Experts, available at https://www.who.int/about/ethics/declarations-of-interest.
The online application form is available at: https://extranet.who.int/dataformv3/index.php/712311?lang=en – Please prepare the required documents and save them in PDF format. The online application allows you to save your responses and attachments, but make sure to return to complete it later and submit it.
After submission, your expression of interest will be reviewed by WHO. Due to an expected high volume of interest, only selected individuals will be informed.
Important information about the selection processes and conditions of appointment
Members of WHO advisory groups (AGs) must be free of any real, potential or apparent conflicts of interest. To this end, applicants are required to complete the WHO Declaration of Interests for WHO Experts, and the selection as a member of a AG is, amongst other things, dependent on WHO determining that there is no conflict of interest or that any identified conflicts could be appropriately managed (in addition to WHO’s evaluation of an applicant’s experience, expertise and motivation and other criteria).
All AG members will serve in their individual expert capacity and shall not represent any governments, any commercial industries or entities, any research, academic or civil society organizations, or any other bodies, entities, institutions or organizations. They are expected to fully comply with the Code of Conduct for WHO Experts (https://www.who.int/about/ethics/declarations-of-interest). AG members will be expected to sign and return a completed confidentiality undertaking prior to the beginning of the first meeting.
At any point during the selection process, telephone interviews may be scheduled between an applicant and the WHO Secretariat to enable WHO to ask questions relating to the applicant’s experience and expertise and/or to assess whether the applicant meets the criteria for membership in the relevant AG.
The selection of members of the AGs will be made by WHO in its sole discretion, taking into account the following (non-exclusive) criteria: relevant technical expertise; experience in international and country policy work; communication skills; and ability to work constructively with people from different cultural backgrounds and orientations. The selection of AG members will also take account of the need for diverse perspectives from different regions, especially from low and middle-income countries, and for gender balance.
If selected by WHO, proposed members will be sent an invitation letter and a Memorandum of Agreement. Appointment as a member of a AG will be subject to the proposed member returning to WHO the countersigned copy of these two documents.
WHO reserves the right to accept or reject any expression of interest, to annul the open call process and reject all expressions of interest at any time without incurring any liability to the affected applicant or applicants and without any obligation to inform the affected applicant or applicants of the grounds for WHO's action. WHO may also decide, at any time, not to proceed with the establishment of the AG, disband an existing TAG or modify the work of the AG.
WHO shall not in any way be obliged to reveal, or discuss with any applicant, how an expression of interest was assessed, or to provide any other information relating to the evaluation/selection process or to state the reasons for not choosing a member.
WHO may publish the names and a short biography of the selected individuals on the WHO internet.
AG members will not be remunerated for their services in relation to the AG or otherwise. Travel and accommodation expenses of AG members to participate in AG meetings will be covered by WHO in accordance with its applicable policies, rules and procedures.
The appointment will be limited in time as indicated in the letter of appointment.
If you have any questions about this “Call for experts”, please write to GTBPCI@who.int well before the applicable deadline.