World Health Organization

WHO Position Papers, Resources & Publications

WHO publishes vaccine position papers that provide global vaccine and immunization recommendations for diseases that have an international public health impact. The papers summarize essential background information and the WHO’s position on their global use. The papers are reviewed and updated periodically by WHO based on new scientific evidence and public health priorities.

The below are all also available at WHO Vaccine Position Papers.

Languages: The position papers contain both English and French versions, with additional languages available, which we’ve noted for each (and available at the provided WHO link).

Position Papers

General Topic

POSITION PAPER – 05/20/2022

Also available in Arabic, Chinese, and Spanish.

POSITION PAPER – 09/24/2015

Also available in Arabic, Chinese, Russian, and Spanish

Vaccine-Specific

BCG

Cholera

Dengue

Diphtheria

Hepatitis A

POSITION PAPER – 10/27/2022

Also available in Arabic, Chinese, and Spanish.

Additional hepatitis A materials from WHO

Hepatitis B

Hepatitis E

POSITION PAPER – 05/01/2015

Also available in Arabic, Chinese, Russian, and Spanish.

Additional hepatitis E materials from WHO

Hib (Haemophilus influenzae type b)

POSITION PAPER – 07/27/2013

Also available in Arabic, Chinese, and Spanish.

Additional Hib materials from WHO

HPV (human papillomavirus)

POSITION PAPER – 12/16/2022

Also available in Arabic, Chinese, and Spanish.

Additional HPV materials from WHO

Influenza

POSITION PAPER – 12/16/2022

Also available in Arabic, Chinese, and Spanish.

Additional influenza materials from WHO

Japanese Encephalitis

POSITION PAPER – 02/02/2015

Also available in Arabic, Chinese, Russian, and Spanish.

Additional Japanese encephalitix materials from WHO

Malaria

Measles

POSITION PAPER – 04/28/2016

Also available in Russian and Spanish.

Additional measles materials from WHO

Meningococcal

POSITION PAPER – 02/25/2016

Also available in Arabic, Chinese, Russian, and Spanish.

Mumps

Pertussis

POSITION PAPER – 08/28/2015

Also available in Arabic, Chinese, Russian, and Spanish.

Additional pertussis materials from WHO

Pneumococcal

Polio

POSITION PAPER – 06/24/2022

Also available in Arabic, Chinese, and Spanish.

Additional polio materials from WHO

Rabies

POSITION PAPER – 04/19/2018

Also available in Arabic and Russian.

Additional rabies materials from WHO

Rotavirus

Rubella

POSITION PAPER – 07/03/2020

Also available in Russian.

Additional rubella materials from WHO

Smallpox and Mpox (orthopoxviruses)

Tetanus

POSITION PAPER – 02/10/2017

Also available in Arabic, Chinese, and Spanish.

Additional tetanus materials from WHO

Tick-Borne Encephalitis

POSITION PAPER – 06/10/2011

Also available in Arabic, Chinese, Russian, and Spanish.

Additional tick-borne encephalitis materials from WHO

Typhoid

Varicella (Chickenpox) & Herpes Zoster

POSITION PAPER – 07/09/2014

Also available in Arabic, Chinese, Russian, and Spanish.

Additional varicalla (chickenpox) materials from WHO

Yellow Fever

POSITION PAPER – 07/05/2013

Also available in Arabic, Chinese, Russian, and Spanish.

Additional Resources

GACVS responds to vaccine safety issues of potential global importance

The Vaccine Safety Net consists of a diverse group of websites that provide vaccine safety information in various languages. Each of these websites has been evaluated by WHO and meets the GACVS criteria for good information practices.

Additional Publications

Monthly international journal of public health.

Weekly epidemiological information on cases and outbreaks of diseases under the International Health Regulations.

View all WHO publications

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