Background
The Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) on Immunization was established in 1999 to provide policy and strategy advice on vaccines and immunization to the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO). SAGE is the principal advisory group to WHO for vaccines and immunization.
This SAGE Working Group on Pertussis Vaccines (from now on referred to as SAGE WG) will be established by the WHO SAGE Secretariat as a resource intended to support WHO in the preparation of SAGE deliberations by reviewing and providing evidence-based information and options for policy or strategy recommendations to be decided by SAGE.
Terms of reference
The SAGE WG will be requested to work on specific issues and address critical questions related to pertussis vaccination. It will review the scientific evidence and relevant programmatic considerations to formulate draft recommendations on the use of pertussis vaccines. The draft recommendations will be submitted for consideration by SAGE to inform the global policy on pertussis vaccine use, and for subsequent issuance of an updated WHO Position Paper on pertussis vaccines.
Specifically, the Working Group will be asked to address the following areas, among other, in its review:
Infant schedule
- What are the schedules/products used globally and what is the impact of wP and aP vaccines on pertussis infant mortality and disease.
Maternal immunization
- In which setting (epidemiology, coverage, product, schedules used) will maternal aP vaccination have the greatest impact.
- What is the safety and effectiveness of maternal immunization.
Booster doses
- What is the impact of pertussis vaccine booster doses (wP or aP) during childhood, adolescence and adults by setting on disease resurgence, epidemics and infant mortality.
Countries facing resurgence/ outbreaks
- What are the potential mitigation measures for countries facing current outbreaks/resurgence of pertussis.
Timelines
The SAGE Working Group will be established in the third trimester of 2025 and is expected to accomplish its tasks within 15-20 months and present its conclusions and recommendations to SAGE in 2026.
A WHO position paper on pertussis vaccines will be scheduled for publication in 2026/2027.
Mode of work
The working group will mainly meet virtually via Microsoft Teams video conferences. One face-to-face meeting may be convened in the Geneva area.
Collective expertise needed in the working group
A broad range of disciplines relevant to:
- public health expertise relevant to pertussis, particularly in low- and middle-income countries;
- pertussis epidemiology;
- infectious disease immunology;
- pertussis microbiology;
- maternal immunization;
- vaccinology, focusing on pertussis (-containing vaccines);
- immunisation programme planning/management, implementation and monitoring;
- mathematical modelling;
- vaccine safety;
- health economics.
In the selection of the members, consideration shall be given to attaining an adequate distribution of technical expertise, geographical representation and gender balance.
Proposals for nominations should be sent by email to sageexecsec@who.int, along with a curriculum vitae, an indication of relevant expertise, and a completed declaration of interest form. Only complete nominations received by 21 August 2025 will be considered.
Information on the purpose, structure and functioning of SAGE Working Groups is available at: https://www.who.int/groups/strategic-advisory-group-of-experts-on-immunization/working-groups
For more information on SAGE and SAGE working groups: