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

Understanding the Behavioural and Social Drivers of Vaccine Uptake

Also available in Arabic, Chinese, and Spanish.

POSITION PAPER – 09/24/2015

Reducing Pain at the Time of Vaccination

Also available in Arabic, Chinese, Russian, and Spanish

Vaccine-Specific

BCG

POSITION PAPER – 02/23/2018

BCG Vaccines: WHO Position Paper – February 2018 – Vaccins BCG: Note de synthèse de l’OMS – Février 2018

Also available in Russian.

Additional BCG materials from WHO

Cholera

POSITION PAPER – 08/25/2017

Cholera Vaccines: WHO Position Paper – August 2017

Additional cholera materials from WHO

Dengue

POSITION PAPER – 05/03/2024

Dengue Vaccines: WHO Position Paper – May 2024

Additional dengue materials from WHO

Diphtheria

POSITION PAPER – 08/04/2017

Diphtheria Vaccines: WHO Position Paper – August 2017

Also available in Russian.

Additional diphtheria materials from WHO

Hepatitis A

POSITION PAPER – 10/27/2022

WHO Position Paper on Hepatitis A Vaccines – October 2022

Also available in Arabic, Chinese, and Spanish.

Additional hepatitis A materials from WHO

Hepatitis B

POSITION PAPER – 10/27/2022

Hepatitis B Vaccines: WHO Position Paper – July 2017

Also available in Russian.

Additional hepatitis B materials from WHO

Hepatitis E

POSITION PAPER – 05/01/2015

WHO Position Paper on Hepatitis E Vaccines – May 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

Haemophilus Influenzae Type B (Hib) Vaccination Position Paper

Also available in Arabic, Chinese, and Spanish.

Additional Hib materials from WHO

HPV (human papillomavirus)

POSITION PAPER – 12/16/2022

Human Papillomavirus Vaccines: WHO Position Paper, December 2022

Also available in Arabic, Chinese, and Spanish.

Additional HPV materials from WHO

Influenza

POSITION PAPER – 12/16/2022

Vaccines Against Influenza: WHO Position Paper – May 2022

Also available in Arabic, Chinese, and Spanish.

Additional influenza materials from WHO

Japanese Encephalitis

POSITION PAPER – 02/02/2015

Japanese Encephalitis Vaccines: WHO Position Paper

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

Additional Japanese encephalitix materials from WHO

Malaria

POSITION PAPER – 05/10/2024

Malaria Vaccines: WHO Position Paper – May 2024

Additional malaria materials from WHO

Measles

POSITION PAPER – 04/28/2016

Measles Vaccines: WHO Position Paper – April 2017

Also available in Russian and Spanish.

Additional measles materials from WHO

Meningococcal

POSITION PAPER – 01/12/2024

Meningococcal Vaccines: WHO Position Paper on the Use of Multivalent Meningococcal Conjugate Vaccines in Countries of the African Meningitis Belt

POSITION PAPER – 02/25/2016

Meningococcal A Conjugate Vaccine: Updated Guidance, February 2015

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

POSITION PAPER – 12/11/2011

Meningococcal Vaccines: WHO Position Paper – November 2011

Additional meningococcal materials from WHO

Mumps

POSITION PAPER – 03/15/2024

Mumps Virus Vaccines: WHO Position Paper, March 2024

Additional mumps materials from WHO

Pertussis

POSITION PAPER – 08/28/2015

Pertussis Vaccines: WHO position Paper – August 2015

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

Additional pertussis materials from WHO

Pneumococcal

POSITION PAPER – 06/10/2021

Considerations for Pneumococcal Vaccination in Older Adults

POSITION PAPER – 04/01/2021

Pneumococcal Vaccines: WHO Position Paper on Their Use in Community Outbreak Settings

POSITION PAPER – 02/02/2019

WHO Position Paper: Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccines in Infants and Children Under 5 Years of Age

Also available in Russian.

Additional pneumococcal materials from WHO

Polio

POSITION PAPER – 06/24/2022

Polio Vaccines: WHO Position Paper – June 2022

Also available in Arabic, Chinese, and Spanish.

Additional polio materials from WHO

Rabies

POSITION PAPER – 04/19/2018

Rabies Vaccines: WHO Position Paper – April 2018

Also available in Arabic and Russian.

Additional rabies materials from WHO

Rotavirus

POSITION PAPER – 07/16/2021

Rotavirus Vaccines: WHO Position Paper – July 2021

Additional rotavirus materials from WHO

Rubella

POSITION PAPER – 07/03/2020

Rubella Vaccines: WHO Position Paper – July 2020

Also available in Russian.

Additional rubella materials from WHO

Smallpox and Mpox (orthopoxviruses)

POSITION PAPER – 08/23/2024

Smallpox and mpox (orthopoxviruses) vaccines: WHO position paper – August 2024

Tetanus

POSITION PAPER – 02/10/2017

Tetanus Vaccines: WHO Position Paper – February 2017

Also available in Arabic, Chinese, and Spanish.

Additional tetanus materials from WHO

Tick-Borne Encephalitis

POSITION PAPER – 06/10/2011

Vaccines Against Tick-Borne Encephalitis: WHO Position Paper – 2011

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

Additional tick-borne encephalitis materials from WHO

Typhoid

POSITION PAPER – 03/30/2018

Typhoid Vaccines: WHO Position Paper – March 2018

Additional typhoid materials from WHO

Varicella (Chickenpox) & Herpes Zoster

POSITION PAPER – 07/09/2014

Varicella and Herpes Zoster Vaccines: WHO Position Paper, June 2014

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

Additional varicalla (chickenpox) materials from WHO

Yellow Fever

POSITION PAPER – 07/05/2013

Vaccines and Vaccination Against Yellow Fever: WHO Position Paper – June 2013

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

POSITION PAPER – 06/01/2017

Yellow Fever Vaccine: WHO Position on the Use of Fractional Doses – June 2017

Also available in Russian.

Additional yellow fever materials from WHO

Additional Resources

Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety (GACVS)

GACVS responds to vaccine safety issues of potential global importance

Vaccine Safety Net

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

Bulletin of the World Health Organization

Monthly international journal of public health.

Weekly Epidemiological Record

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

View all WHO publications

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