Report of the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE), November 1999
Weekly Epidemiological Record, 75 (03): 20 - 25
Overview
The first meeting of SAGE, whose members were selected for their expertise and geographical representation, was convened on 1-3 November 1999 in Geneva to advise WHO on the 3 main strategic aspects of its programme:
1) Innovation - accelerated vaccine introduction
Some new vaccines against diseases which cause major morbidity and mortality are already available, and some will be available within the next 10 years. As they become available, they are being adopted rapidly by industrialized countries, but the uptake of these new vaccines in developing countries has been much more restricted
2) Innovation in research
A strong research programme leading to the introduction of new vaccines, new presentations and new technologies is essential to successful immunization programmes.
3) Immunization systems - immunzation safety
While immunization can be enormously beneficial, it can also be harmful if vaccines are not of high quality or are not administered safely. SAGE approved WHOs proactive approach and comprehensive set of activities aimed at ensuring vaccine safety.