Science Division

Harnessing the power of science to achieve health for all

WHO/C. Tephaval
In 2016, one in 10 children worldwide did not receive their first dose of diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP1) vaccine; coverage with all three doses was 86%.

The Science Division harnesses the power of science and innovation. It provides global leadership in leveraging the best scientific evidence to improve health and promote health equity for all. Its mission is to ensure that Member States are able to call on the best of science and innovation to achieve the health-related Sustainable Development Goals. WHO’s coordinating role for science is especially important in ensuring that access to new therapies, diagnostics, and vaccines under development is equitable and that they are available to all who need them.

The creation of the Science Division in 2019 as part of WHO’s transformation was timely: when COVID-19 took hold, the Science Division put WHO at the forefront of global efforts to combat the pandemic. The Science Division has been instrumental in making WHO the trusted source of the best scientific evidence about COVID-19, its treatment and prevention. COVID-19 has also shown us that with the rapid pace and sheer scale of digital communication, the voice of science risks being lost in the noise. WHO’s Science Division plays a key role in countering the infodemic of misinformation and supporting scientists to be active and visible at the science-policy interface.

WHO’s Chief Scientist, Dr Jeremy Farrar, is the public face of science at WHO. He has taken a leadership role for science around the world, convening the world’s experts, and keeping WHO ahead of the curve. Three WHO departments drive the work of the Science Division:

The Science Division benefits from hosting three specialist research entities:

Science Division Departments

scientist examining samples through stereo-microscope.

WHO

Research for Health Department

Goal: Forward looking and prioritized global health research

Research for health is a global endeavour, but traditional approaches to research are often static and not responsive to local contexts. WHO has a unique role to play in ensuring that research to support policymaking is demand-driven and contextually sensitive. WHO’s key objectives for global health research are anticipating scientific, technological, and epidemiological shifts; setting a global research agenda to address gaps, emerging areas, and country priorities; and strengthening confidence in science. More than ever, science is in the public eye, and trust in science and medical technologies is at a crossroads, a situation exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Drawing on expertise from Member States, WHO is mobilizing the best scientists across disciplines, and stimulating measures to tackle spread of disinformation and provide credible information to the public.

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technician in protective gear looking at monitor

WHO/ Muhd Ikmal

Quality Assurance for Norms and Standards Department

Goal: Timely and evidence-driven norms and standards updated in real time

WHO is the world’s foremost public health agency, and one of key ways it brings the best science and evidence to inform best practice is setting norms and standards. These are information products which provide guidance or recommendations on a broad range of thematic areas. Member States look to WHO for norms and standards that are in line with their needs. When promoting quality assurance for norms and standards, the Science Division’s objectives are to put processes in place for developing and updating public health, ethical and clinical guidance; support WHO to deliver quality assured, relevant, and user-centered products; and make accurate scientific information openly accessible.

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WHO / Jerome Flayosc

Digital Health and Innovation Department

Goal: Adoption and scale-up of innovation and digital health

Digital technologies are now integral to daily life, and the world’s population has never been more interconnected. At the same time, innovation, particularly in the digital sphere, is happening on an unprecedented scale. WHO is harnessing the power of digital technologies and innovation to accelerate global attainment of health and well-being. It does this by translating latest data, research, and evidence into action; enhancing knowledge transfer through scientific communities of practice; and systematically assessing and linking country needs with innovative solutions.

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The Science Division’s strategic priorities

The COVID-19 pandemic has reinforced the need for countries to be proactive and stay ahead of the curve, and also to react fast in the face of a public health emergency. The Science Division’s priorities for the years ahead are in support of its mission: to provide global leadership in translating the latest in science, evidence, innovation, and digital solutions to improve health and health equity for all.

This includes pandemic preparedness and response, but it also goes well beyond that: to harness the power of science to help Member States attain the health-related Sustainable Development Goals. To this end, the Science Division has clearly identified goals, each supported by its three departments.

GOAL 1: Forward looking and prioritized global health research

Being ahead of the curve means staying on top of the rapidly evolving fields of science and technology. From artificial intelligence to Gen Z attitudes to health care, WHO must be one step ahead, anticipating scientific, technological and epidemiological shifts. This process of horizon scanning and continuous prospecting is what will enable the Science Division to set a credible, relevant research agenda that reflects emerging country priorities. At the same time, WHO will have to continuously strengthen confidence in science and combat misinformation that threatens public health.

GOAL 2: Timely and evidence-driven norms and standards updated in real time

As a normative agency in public health, WHO’s core function is to set norms and standards that are of consistent and high quality and meet the needs of Member States. In the years ahead, the focus will be on putting processes in place for rapid development and timely updating of public health, ethical and clinical guidance. The Science Division will continue to support WHO at all levels to make accurate scientific information openly accessible, usable and relevant to the needs of end-users.

GOAL 3: Adoption and scale-up of innovation and digital health

Innovation, particularly in the digital sphere, is happening at unprecedented scale yet its application to improve the health of populations remains largely untapped. The Science Division has prioritized translating the latest data, research and evidence into action, and amplifying innovation in order to drive impact in every country. With the adoption by the World Health Assembly of WHO’s Global Strategy on Digital Health, the Science Division aims to systematically assess and link country needs to innovative solutions.

Hosted research entities

Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research

The Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases, TDR

A female counselor speaks to a woman about contraceptive methods, Indonesia

Human Reproduction Programme (HRP)

Our work

International Clinical Trials Registry Platform

WHO Library and Digital Information Network

Evidence-informed Policy Network (EVIPNet)

Global Observatory on Health Research and Development

WHO Collaborating Centres

ebola drc kasai occidental test tube 2007

Public health implications of implementation of the Nagoya Protocol

WHO Press

Global Accelerator for Paediatric Formulations Network (GAP-f)

WHO / Colin Cosier

Overview

Access to appropriate health products such as vaccines, diagnostics, medicines and vector control products is essential to achieve WHO’s mission to ensure universal health coverage, respond to global health threats and promote a healthier population. Promoting research and development of innovative products and facilitating their introduction are vital activities to ensure the global community can address unmet health needs.

To this end, WHO has developed an optimized process that allows WHO activities in research prioritization, health product development advice, WHO policy guidance production, product assessment through prequalification, and support to implementation in countries to become linked, efficient, and coherent, with consequent increased impact on health outcomes. The ultimate goal of the process is to ensure the development of health products that address global health needs and to accelerate implementation and uptake in countries.

Health systems

Digital health

News

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