Public notice and comment
Following a public call for experts and the announcement of proposed members, the World Health Organization (WHO) today announced an alternate proposed member to join the WHO Technical Advisory Group on AWaRe (TAG-AWaRe). The TAG-AWaRe was established in February 2025 and provides independent advice to the WHO on specific topics relating to antimicrobial use and stewardship.
The TAG-AWaRe members have expertise in a range of areas including, but not limited to the following:
- Access to medicines, particularly antimicrobials;
- Antimicrobial stewardship;
- Antimicrobial use surveillance;
- Clinical microbiology;
- Clinical pharmacy;
- Clinical pharmacology;
- Healthcare epidemiology;
- Implementation science;
- Infectious diseases;
- Monitoring and evaluation;
- Policymaking relating to antimicrobial use and stewardship;
- Public health impact of antimicrobial use;
- Social and behavioural sciences.
The composition of the TAG-AWaRe properly reflects geographic and gender diversity.
As per WHO processes, there will now be a two-week public consultation period for WHO to receive feedback on the alternate proposed TAG-AWaRe member.
The final membership to the TAG-AWaRe is subject to the above-mentioned public consultation period and relevant WHO practices and procedures.
Functions of the TAG-AWaRe
In its capacity as an advisory body to WHO, the TAG-AWaRe shall have the following functions:
- To provide independent evaluation of the scientific technical and strategic aspects of the clinical and public health impact of antimicrobial use on resistance and subsequent considerations for access to and stewardship of antimicrobials;
- To provide technical input into WHO guidance documents for antimicrobial stewardship, including the WHO antimicrobial stewardship practical toolkit;
- To review updates of existing AWaRe guidance and newly developed guidance to ensure they are scientifically sound and feasible;
- To advise WHO on the (re-)classification of antibiotics and other antimicrobials in the Access, Watch, Reserve and Not Recommended categories of the AWaRe classification;
- To advise on implementation strategies and other priority guidance documents for AWaRe; and
- To advise WHO on the development, implementation and evaluation of further AWaRe based indicators and targets.
WHO will be finalizing the appointment of the 24 members in the coming days following the review of comments received during their notice period.
The members are to serve in their personal capacities to represent the broad range of disciplines relevant to antimicrobial use and stewardship. In evaluating the applications submitted, consideration was given to attaining an adequate distribution of technical expertise, geographical representation and gender balance.
Proposed TAG-AWaRe member
- Dr Mônica da Luz Carvalho Soares is a pharmacist and regulator at the Brazilian Health Regulatory Agency. She is from Brazil.
Please refer to the biography of alternate proposed member of the TAG-AWaRe for further information.
Pursuant to WHO’s rules and practices, and 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 technical advice, the names and brief biographies of the individuals selected for TAG-AWaRe membership are now disclosed for public notice and comment.
Should you wish to comment on the individual, please send your comments to TAG-AWaRe@who.int with subject, “Public comments on TAG-AWaRe members,” by 17 March 2025, 17:00 CET.
WHO will treat the comments received through this public notice and comment process confidentially. Comments and perceptions brought to the attention of WHO through this process are an integral component of WHO’s conflict of interest assessment policy and will, subject to WHO’s rules, practices, and policies, be carefully reviewed by WHO. WHO reserves the right to discuss information received through this process with the relevant expert and otherwise within the Organization as appropriate, with no attribution to the provider of the information. WHO, may, in its sole discretion, take appropriate action in accordance with its rules, practices, and policies, based on any information received.
Disclaimer:
In order to enhance its management of Conflicts of Interest as well as strengthen public trust and transparency in connection with WHO meetings involving the provision of technical/normative advice, the names and brief biographies of individuals (“Published Information” ) being considered for participation in such meetings are disclosed for public notice and comment.
The Published Information is provided by the experts themselves and is the sole responsibility of the individuals concerned. WHO is not responsible for the accuracy, veracity and completeness of the Published Information provided. Furthermore, in no event will WHO be responsible or liable for damages in relation to the use of, and reliance upon, the Published Information.
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 knowledge of WHO through this process are an integral component of WHO’s conflict of interest assessment policy and 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 participation of an expert in a WHO meeting does not imply that they are endorsed or recommended by WHO nor does it create a binding relationship between the expert and WHO.
The list of participating experts, a summary of relevant interests disclosed by such experts, and any appropriate mitigation measures taken by WHO relating to the management of conflicts of interests, will be reported publically in accordance with WHO practice.