WHO Efficacy assessment
WHO has, for more than 55 years, been responsible for coordinating and technically supporting efficacy testing of public health pesticides. About three-quarters of endemic countries require a WHO recommendation or listing as a prerequisite for registration of a public health pesticide. As such, WHO sets global standards for this type of pesticides.
The scope of WHO efficacy evaluations is shown in the table below.
Application | Vector | Diseases |
|---|---|---|
Long-lasting insecticidal nets | Mosquito (Anopheles spp.) | Malaria |
Indoor Residual Spraying | Mosquito (Anopheles spp.) | Malaria, Leishmaniasis and Chagas disease. |
Larvicides | Mosquito (Anopheles, Aedes and Culex spp.) | Malaria, Dengue, Chikungunya, West Nile Virus, Japanese Encephalitis |
Indoor and Outdoor space spraying | Mosquito (Anopheles, Aedes and Culex spp.) | Malaria, Dengue, Chikungunya, WNV, JE |
Mosquito repellents for human skin | Mosquito (Anopheles, Aedes and Culex spp.) | Malaria, Dengue, Chikungunya, WNV, JE |
Rodenticides | Rodents | -- |
Molluscicides | Snails, molluscs | Schistosomiasis |
Insecticides for aircraft disinsection | Mosquito (Anopheles, Aedes and Culex spp.) | Malaria, Dengue, Chikungunya, WNV, JE |
Household insecticide products (e.g. mosquito coils, vaporizing mats and aerosol sprays) | Mosquito (Anopheles, Aedes and Culex spp.) | Malaria, Dengue, Chikungunya, WNV, JE |
Nuisance pest control | Mosquitoes, flies, cockroaches, etc | -- |
The WHO guidelines require three phases of efficacy testing and an additional concurrent phase for development of product specification:
Both laboratory and field trials are conducted by WHO collaborating institutions or by other GLP certified institutions. Study protocols for efficacy trials are developed by the applicant, in collaboration with the testing facility, based on WHO Efficacy testing guidelines. They are subsequently reviewed by the WHO Prequalification Team (PQT-VC). National and WHO ethical clearances are essential before the trials can start. Presently, collaborating institutions are in the process of obtaining GLP accreditation for laboratory and field testing of vector control pesticides.
The results of the studies mentioned above are evaluated by teams of experts appointed by WHO. A quality specification will also be reviewed and adopted. On the basis of a positive evaluation, WHO will include the vector control product on the Prequalified List.