The World Health Organization (WHO) is seeking experts to serve as one of the members of the WHO Technical Advisory Group on Local Production and Technology Transfer of Health Products (WHO TAG-LPTT). 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
Strategic local production of medicines, vaccines and other health technologies in low- and middle-income countries has assumed huge significance in the context of ongoing global pandemic of COVID-19. Many low- and middle-income countries experienced inequitable access to priority health products (medicines, vaccines, biologics, medical devices, in-vitro diagnostics, etc.) during the pandemic.
In May 2021, the World Health Assembly adopted resolution WHA74.6 on Strengthening local production of medicines and other health technologies to improve access. This resolution covers important aspects of local production and urged Member States “to strengthen their leadership, commitment and support in promoting the establishment and strengthening of quality and sustainable local production of medicines and other health technologies that follows good manufacturing practices” while keeping view of their local contexts. Resolution WHA74.6 also urges the Director General of WHO “to support Member States upon their request in promoting quality and sustainable local production of medicines and other health technologies”.
In the context of resolution WHA74.6, WHO announced a new initiative, the World Local Production Forum: Enhancing access to medicines and other health technologies (WLPF) with the Local Production and Assistance Unit (Regulation and Prequalification Department, Access to Medicines and Health Products Division) as the WLPF Secretariat. The World Local Production Forum provides the global community – Member States, industry, academia, civil societies, UN agencies, international organizations, and other stakeholders – with a regular platform to address challenges, harness opportunities, nurture partnerships and shape the direction globally of local production. This first WLPF in June 2021 brought together over 100 Member States and key relevant stakeholders in the local production space to stimulate collective action on key aspects of strengthening sustainable local production of quality-assured essential health products and related technology transfer. One recommendation from the first WLPF is the formation of a WHO technical advisory group to address current and future global challenges and trends in local production and technology transfer.
The Technical Advisory Group (the “TAG”) on Local Production and Technology Transfer of Health Products will act as an advisory body to the Local Production and Assistance Unit in this field of promoting and strengthening sustainable local production and technology transfer to improve access to quality, safe and effective health products. Please refer to the Terms of Reference for the Technical Advisory Group on Local Production and Technology Transfer of Health Products.
Functions of the Technical Advisory Group on Local Production and Technology Transfer of Health Products
- To provide advice to the Local Production and Assistance Unit on the overall work in implementing resolution WHA74.6 on strengthening local production;
- To identify and describe current and future challenges related to sustainable local production and technology transfer of quality, safe and effective health products to support the work of WHO with the Member States towards reaching the relevant Sustainable Development Goals targets;
- To provide advice to WHO on global policies and strategies on strengthening local production and technology transfer of health products and their linkages with other health systems elements, to support Universal Health Coverage and Global Public Health Security;
- To provide advice to WHO on the strategic local production of priority health products to improve equitable, timely access and health security, particularly in low- and middle-income countries;
- To provide technical advice to WHO on topics related to sustainable local production and technology transfer of quality, safe and effective health products and their ecosystems, such as policy coherence, financing, business and market environments, investments, human capital, infrastructure, research and development, production efficiencies and capabilities, collaborations/partnerships, market intelligence and so forth;
- To advise WHO on innovations in manufacturing and health technologies to enable low- and middle-income countries to meet local/regional-specific public health needs;
- To provide advice to achieve impact from local production and technology transfer on access to essential health products.
Operations of the Technical Advisory Group on Local Production and Technology Transfer of Health Products
- The TAG shall normally meet at least once each year. However, WHO may convene additional meetings. TAG meetings may be held in person (at WHO headquarters in Geneva or another location, as determined by WHO) or virtually, via video or teleconference. TAG meetings may be held in open and/or closed session, as decided by the Chairperson in consultation with WHO. (A) Open sessions: shall be convened for the sole purpose of the exchange of non-confidential information attended by Observers (as defined in paragraph 3 below). (B) Closed sessions: the sessions dealing with formulation of recommendations and/or advice to WHO be restricted to the members of the TAG and essential WHO Secretariat staff.
- The quorum for TAG meetings shall be two thirds of the members.
- WHO may, at its sole discretion, invite external individuals from time to time to attend the open sessions of an advisory group, or parts thereof, as “observers”. Observers may be invited either in their personal capacity, or as representatives from a governmental institution / intergovernmental organization, or from a non-State actor. WHO will request observers invited in their personal capacity to complete a confidentiality undertaking and a declaration of interests form prior to attending a session of the advisory group. Invitations to observers attending as representatives from non-State actors will be subject to WHO internal due diligence and risk assessment including conflict of interest considerations in accordance with the Framework for Engagement with Non-State Actors (FENSA). Observers invited as representatives may also be requested to complete a confidentiality undertaking. Observers shall normally attend meetings of the TAG at their own expense and be responsible for making all arrangements in that regard. At the invitation of the Chairperson, observers may be asked to present their personal views and/or the policies of their organization. Observers will not participate in the process of adopting decisions and recommendations of the TAG.
- The TAG may decide to establish smaller working groups (sub-groups of the TAG) to work on specific issues. Their deliberations shall take place via teleconference or video-conference. For these sub-groups, no quorum requirement will apply; the outcome of their deliberations will be submitted to the TAG for review at one of its meetings.
- TAG members are expected to attend meetings. If a member misses two consecutive meetings, WHO may end his/her appointment as a member of the TAG.
- Reports of each meeting shall be submitted by the TAG to WHO (the Assistant Director-General of the responsible Cluster). All recommendations from the TAG are advisory to WHO, who retains full control over any subsequent decisions or actions regarding any proposals, policy issues or other matters considered by the TAG.
- The TAG shall normally make recommendations by consensus. If, in exceptional circumstances, a consensus on a particular issue cannot be reached, minority opinions will be reflected in the meeting report.
- Active participation is expected from all TAG members, including in working groups, teleconferences, and interaction over email. TAG members may, in advance of TAG meetings, be requested to review meeting documentation and to provide their views for consideration by the TAG.
- WHO shall determine the modes of communication by the TAG, including between WHO and the TAG members, and the TAG members among themselves.
- TAG members shall not speak on behalf of, or represent, the TAG or WHO to any third party.
Who can express interest?
The Technical Advisory Group on Local Production and Technology Transfer of Health Products will be multidisciplinary, with members who have a range of technical knowledge, skills and experience relevant to local production of medicines and other health products and technology transfer. Up to approximately 15 members may be selected.
WHO welcomes expressions of interest from individuals who have demonstrated knowledge, skills and expertise in one or more of the following areas:
- Development, production, quality control or quality assurance of medicines, vaccines, biologicals, in-vitro diagnostics (IVDs) or medical devices;
- Technology transfers for the local production of medicines, vaccines, biologicals, IVDs or other health products;
- Manufacturing technologies and processes for production of medicines, vaccines, biologicals, IVDs, medical devices or other health products;
- Establishment and/or management of a health product manufacturing facility;
- National and/or regional policies relevant to sustainable local production of medicines and/or other health products (health, industry, trade, investment, finance, etc.);
- Health systems strengthening and programme delivery to improve access and achieve universal health coverage;
- Regulation of medicines, vaccines/biologicals, IVDs, medical devices or other health products;
- Research and development and/or innovation of new medicines, vaccines, IVDs or other health products (product development, manufacturing process/technologies, etc.);
- Investments and/or financing for local production or technology transfer of medicines, vaccines or other health products;
- Markets and/or procurement and supply chain management of medicines, vaccines and other health products;
- Education and training in the fields of production of medicines and other health products;
Submitting your expression of interest
The submission deadline is now closed for this "Call for Experts". Please stay attentive for next openings.
Important information about the selection processes and conditions of appointment
Members of WHO technical advisory groups (TAGs) 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 TAG 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 TAG 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). TAG 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 TAG.
The selection of members of the TAGs 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 TAG 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 TAG 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 TAG, disband an existing TAG or modify the work of the TAG.
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.
TAG members will not be remunerated for their services in relation to the TAG or otherwise. Travel and accommodation expenses of TAG members to participate in TAG 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 dongj@who.int with a copy to localproduction@who.int well before the applicable deadline.