Note from the secretariat
Dear Colleagues,
I have taken on the role of Executive Secretary of the Global NITAG Network (GNN). In that role I am pleased to share that the GNN community has started the year on a high note, with our membership having reaching 120 NITAG members at the end of 2025 – a more than 40% increase since 2023. Such rise reflects increasing enthusiasm and commitment across countries and regions to strengthen evidence-based immunization policy.
As our community continues to grow, so does the value we aim to offer. GNN is actively expanding its member benefits to better support professional development, connection, and impact. In the coming weeks, you as part of this network can look forward to new GNN webinar recordings, videos, courses, and a range of digital resources designed to support learning, collaboration, and informed decision-making.
The GNN continues to be recognized by WHO leadership, in particular Kate O’Brien, the WHO director of Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals. GNN as a critical platform within the global immunization policy ecosystem—serves as a key link between SAGE and national policy processes, and enabling trusted, timely exchange among global and national advisory bodies. This role is increasingly vital in a complex policy environment where independent, high-quality technical advice underpins effective immunization programmes and public trust.
Looking ahead, future GNN newsletters will continue to be compiled by our partner the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), with the valued support of consultants Annika Falman and Antonia Pilic, who have been kindly engaged on this work. We are grateful for this collaboration and look forward to an exciting year of continued partnership and information exchange with NITAGs in 2026.
Together, we are building a stronger, more connected NITAG network—making meaningful information exchange across our community a reality.
Dr Philipp Lambach
World Health Organization
Save the Date for upcoming GNN webinar:
SAGE digest – March 2026
Location: Webinar (recording will be made available here)
Date: 18 March 13:00 (UTC+1) 2026
Key updates from NITAGs
Pneumococcal:
- STIKO (German NITAG) updated the recommendation for children and adolescents aged ≥ 2 to 17 years with risk factors for severe pneumococcal disease, and now recommends PCV20. Available in German.
- Belgian NITAG updated their recommendations for adults. PCV20 is now recommended for adults aged 18-64 years with underlying risk conditions, and PCV20 or PCV21 for adults ≥ 50 years, with a preference for PCV21 for ≥ 85 years.
- The Swedish NITAG updated their pneumococcal recommendations. Now, vaccination with a conjugated pneumococcal vaccine is recommended for all risk groups. Available in Swedish.
Hepatitis B:
- ATAGI (Australian NITAG) emphasized the importance and safety of hepatitis B vaccine at birth.
Varicella:
- The French NITAG published their scoping document against chickenpox in infants ≤ 12 months of age, available in French.
Influenza:
- The French NITAG integrates the vaccine FLUCELVAX in the influenza strategy for the use in children from 6 months with risk factors. Available in French.
RSV:
- The Spanish NITAG now recommends vaccination for persons ≥ 18 years with severe underlying conditions, ≥ 60 years in nursing homes and homes for people with disabilities. Available in Spanish.
- The South African NITAG recommends the use of the bivalent RSV vaccine during pregnancy for the prevention of RSV-associated lower respiratory tract disease in Infants.
Measles:
- South Africa NITAG recommends a catch-up dose of measles-rubella containing vaccine to children at 9 years of age, as part of the integrated school health programme for 9 years after introduction.
New WHO toolkit at the NITAG Resource Center
Vaccine prioritization and portfolio optimization (VPOP) toolkit
The WHO Vaccine Optimization tool is now available on the NITAG Resource Centre. It is part of the VPOP toolkit which provides a structured, evidence-informed and practical way for countries to systematically prioritize and optimize vaccine choices—linking technical analysis with real-world programmatic decision-making. It was developed by WHO, in collaboration with UNICEF and technical support from Development Catalyst, and builds on the same approach as the New Vaccine Introduction Prioritization and Sequencing Tool (NVI PST). The toolkit includes interim step-by-step guidance, an introductory module on prioritization and optimization, antigen-specific optimization questions with fact sheets, criteria and indicators for options appraisal, templates for stakeholder engagement and work-planning, and a data collection matrix to support evidence planning and analysis.
The finalized VPOP toolkit (including final optimization guidance and NVI PST in English and French) will be available in Q2 2026.
Additional recommendations
- STIKO (German NITAG) recommendations are updated for 2026.
- JCVI (UK NITAG) updated their guide to immunization for infants up to 13 months of age.
Recent publications
- Noninferiority of One HPV Vaccine Dose to Two Doses. N. Engl. J Med.
- Single-dose HPV vaccination in the United States - a multi-modeling analysis. Lancet Reg Health.
