The STAG on NCDs acts as an advisory body to WHO to further WHO’s efforts and work in addressing the prevention and control of NCDs. The aim is to strengthen international and national action to (1) reduce premature mortality from NCDs through prevention and treatment and (2) progressively cover additional people with health services, medicines, vaccines, diagnostics and health technologies and (3) strengthen efforts to address NCDs as part of UHC.

In its capacity as an advisory body to WHO, the Strategic Technical Advisory Group on the Prevention and Control of NCDs has the following functions:

• To identify and describe current and future challenges;
• To advise WHO on strategic directions to be prioritized;
• To advise WHO on the development of global strategic documents; and
• To propose other strategic interventions and activities for implementation by WHO.

Following a call for interests, WHO has appointed the 24 members of the STAG-NCD, who serve in their personal capacities to represent the broad range of disciplines relevant to diabetes including but not limited to expertise on the prevention, early diagnosis,  treatment and surveillance of NCDs. In the selection of the STAG members, consideration was given to attaining an adequate distribution of strategic and technical expertise, geographical representation and gender balance. Recognizing the importance of including people living with NCDs in strategic decision-making processes, WHO also considered lived experience of NCDs in the selection of STAG-NCD members.

Members of the STAG-NCD have been appointed to serve for a period of two years and shall not be eligible for reappointment beyond 2025 (i.e. the fourth high-level Meeting of the United Nations General Assembly on the Prevention and Control of NCDs).

Their appointment may be terminated at any time by WHO if WHO's interest so requires or, as otherwise specified in these terms of reference or letters of appointment.  Where a member’s appointment is terminated, WHO may decide to appoint a replacement member.

STAG-NCD members must respect the impartiality and independence required of WHO. In performing their work, members may not seek or accept instructions from any Government or from any authority external to the Organization. They must be free of any real, potential or apparent conflicts of interest.

To this end, the members have completed a declaration of interests form and their appointment has been subject to the evaluation of completed forms by the WHO Secretariat, determining that their participation will not give rise to a real, potential or apparent conflict of interest. 

Notwithstanding the requirement to complete the WHO declaration of interest form, STAG-NCD members have an ongoing obligation to inform the WHO of any interests real or perceived that may give raise to a real, potential or apparent conflict of interest.  WHO may, from time to time, request STAG-NCD members to complete a new declaration of interest form. This may be before a STAG-NCD meeting or any other STAG-NCD-related activity or engagement, as decided by WHO. Where WHO has made such a request, the STAG-NCD member’s participation in the STAG-NCD activity or engagement is subject to a determination that their participation would not give rise to a real, potential or apparent conflict of interest. 

In order to enhance WHO’s management of conflicts of interest, as well as strengthen public trust and transparency in connection with WHO advisory groups involving the provision of strategic and technical advice, the names and brief biographies of the members appointed to the STAG-NCD are disclosed for public notice and comment.

The comments received by WHO through the public notice and comment process are treated confidentially and their receipt will be acknowledged through a generic email notification to the sender. Comments and perceptions brought to the attention of WHO through this process are carefully reviewed. WHO reserves the right to discuss information received through this process with the relevant expert with no attribution to the provider of such information. Upon review and assessment of the information received through this process, WHO, in its sole discretion, may take appropriate management action in accordance with its policies.

The deadline for public comments is 22 October 2021, taking into account that the first meeting of the STAG-NCD will take place on 27 and 28 October 2021. Please send your comment to [email protected] with subject, “Public comments on new STAG-NCD members.”