The TAG-NCD-R&I will provide technical advice to WHO on matters relating to WHO’s work on research and innovation in relation to the prevention and control of NCDs. These include:

• Leadership: What are strategies for the WHO Secretariat to encourage and facilitate NCD research and innovation at the global, regional and national level? Which are the key research and innovation activities that the WHO Secretariat should prioritize during the next 10 years that will support countries in the implementation of the WHO Global NCD Action Plan 2013–2030 and the achievement of SDG 3.4 on NCDs by 2030?
• Global goods: How to update the global agenda for NCD-research & innovation and how to promote the translation of knowledge into action in low- and middle-income countries?
• Country support: How to support low- and middle-income countries in building capacity for high quality research required for implementation and evaluation of intervention, guidelines, technical packages and programmes in the areas of NCDs?

In its capacity as an advisory body to WHO, the TAG-NCD-R&I has the following functions related to research and innovation in relation to the prevention and control of NCDs:

• to identify and describe current and future challenges in relation to WHO’s aims set out above;
• 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 12 members of the TAG-NCD-R&I, who serve in their personal capacities to represent the broad range of disciplines relevant to research and innovation including but not limited to expertise on the prevention and control of NCDs. In the selection of the TAG members, consideration was given to attaining an adequate distribution of 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 TAG-NCD-R&I members.

Members of the TAG-NCD-R&I 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.

TAG-NCD-R&I 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, TAG-NCD-R&I 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 TAG-NCD-R&I members to complete a new declaration of interest form. This may be before a TAG-NCD-R&I meeting or any other TAG-NCD-R&I-related activity or engagement, as decided by WHO. Where WHO has made such a request, the TAG-NCD-R&I member’s participation in the TAG-NCD-R&I activity or engagement is subject to a determination that their participation would not give rise to a real, potential or apparent conflict of interest.

The TAG-NCD-R&I will convene twice in 2022. The second meeting took place on 16–17 November 2022.