25 Jul 2018

WHO establishes new process for quality, safety and efficacy assessment of vector control products

Vector-borne diseases such as malaria or dengue fever are major contributors to morbidity and mortality worldwide, particularly in developing countries.

The use of insecticidal products has been instrumental in significantly reducing the global burden of disease from vector-borne diseases, and WHO has evaluated such products for more than 50 years under the WHO Pesticide Evaluation Scheme (WHOPES). This scheme has now been replaced by a new process of prequalification of products in line with similar processes in WHO for medicines, diagnostics, vaccines and devices. An international expert team has been set up to support WHO in this process and SCAHT Director Martin Wilks has been invited to be a member of this team. The group met for the first time in Arusha, Tanzania in May.

Further information can be found here.