Welcome message

Dear participants of WHO implementation workshops on regulatory evaluation of vaccines and biotherapeutic products,

On behalf of WHO, we would like to welcome you to the virtual space with lots of educational and training materials for regulatory evaluation of vaccines and biotherapeutic products. As part of our Mission for setting Norms and Standards which is one of WHO core functions, we are also conducting various activities to facilitate implementation of WHO standards into regulatory and manufacturing practices. These activities are also involving scientists from academia, staff involved in immunization, medical doctors, pharmacists and other relevant experts. Opportunity for preparation for the implementation workshops and for interactive discussion among workshop participants and facilitators is provided through the interactive Forum for discussion. This Forum is usually opened 2 months before the implementation workshop as well as during the workshop and afterwards. Post-workshop activities and exchanges of information are also part of this interactive platform. You are cordially invited to take part in all these activities and your feedback will be considered in further improvements of our work in this area. Up to now, more than 60 participants from more than 30 countries took part in this initiative and we expect many more.

WHO has played a key role for over 60 years in establishing the WHO Biological Reference Materials necessary to standardize biological materials as well as developing WHO guidelines and recommendations on the production and control of biological products and technologies. These norms and standards, based on scientific consensus achieved through international consultations, assist WHO Member States in ensuring the quality and safety of biological medicines and related in vitro biological diagnostic tests worldwide. The Organization accomplishes this work through its biological programme, the WHO Collaborating Centers, and the WHO Expert Committee on Biological Standardization (ECBS). This also involves close collaboration with the international scientific and professional communities, regional and national regulatory authorities, manufacturers and expert laboratories worldwide. Further details could be find at the WHO web site for .