The Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety
About
The Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety (GACVS) was established in 1999 to respond promptly, efficiently, and with scientific rigour to vaccine safety issues of potential global importance.
The Committee provides independent, authoritative, scientific advice to WHO on vaccine safety issues of global or regional concern with the potential to affect in the short or long term national immunization programmes.
GACVS terms of reference
20 July 2017
The Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety (GACVS)
20 July 2017
Declaration of interest - Annex 1
20 July 2017
Confidentiality undertaking - Annex 2
GACVS Members
The fourteen members of the Committee are acknowledged experts from around the world in the fields of epidemiology, statistics, paediatrics, internal medicine, pharmacology and toxicology, infectious diseases, public health, immunology and autoimmunity, drug regulation and safety. The members currently work for, or have retired from, organizations such as governmental agencies, public health institutes, drug regulation agencies, medical research institutes and universities. Their involvement in the Committee is, however, strictly in their individual capacities.
Current members →
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Members are appointed by the Director of the WHO Department of Essential Medicines and Health Products (EMP).
The impartiality and high level of expertise represented ensures that the recommendations put forward by the Committee are made in an independent manner and with scientific rigour.
Given the sensitive nature of the issues discussed at the twice-yearly Committee meetings, ensuring that members participate in Committee deliberations in a completely independent and unbiased manner is critical. To this end, prior to each meeting, members must declare any potential conflict of interest and sign a confidentiality agreement.
GACVS areas
Here is a list of topics covered in our committee meetings.
News
Highlight
The GACVS Sub-Committee on type 2 novel oral polio vaccine (nOPV2) was established in time with nOPV2 initial use under EUL, to ensure that an independent group of experts provides a systematic, timely and coordinated ongoing review of safety data and outcomes related to nOPV2 use in the field. For more information please consult the public notice, the rules of engagement and the terms of reference.