Join VSN

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Send your request for a site evaluation to pvsupport@who.int

Process for evaluation of new candidates

WHO is pleased to evaluate new candidates for inclusion in the VSN on a rolling basis. Please note that commercial sites are not evaluated or listed as a matter of policy.

The VSN evaluation process unfolds in the following manner:

  • If you feel that your site meets the VSN criteria for good information practices, kindly send a request for a site evaluation to pvsupport@who.int
  • WHO will then conduct a preliminary assessment of your website. If your website meets the screening criteria then WHO will conduct a formal assessment.
  • During the formal assessment, your website will be evaluated against the revised criteria for good information practices by a team comprised of the VSN coordinator and one or more external consultants.
  • The evaluation team will send you feedback regarding any areas that require clarification or improvements in order to meet the GACVS criteria as well as a set of recommendations to assist you in meeting these criteria. When applicable, the WHO evaluation team will provide examples illustrating different ways that VSN members have addressed each recommendation.
  • Once the identified issues have been addressed to the satisfaction of the evaluators, WHO will add your web site to the list of VSN members.

Process for re-evaluation of the VSN members

 

Re-evaluations are conducted every two years. The VSN evaluation process unfolds in the following manner:

  • The evaluation team will send the website focal point written notice that the website is due for re-evaluation.
  • The team will re-evaluate your website against the credibility and content criteria and send you feedback regarding any areas that require clarification or improvements in order to meet the GACVS criteria as well as a set of recommendations to assist you in meeting these criteria. When applicable, the WHO evaluation team will provide examples illustrating different ways that VSN members have addressed each recommendation.
  • When sites are considered by evaluators to satisfactorily meet credibility and content criteria, the date of finalization of the reevaluation is indicated at the bottom of the site description.

Formal assessment criteria

The WHO VSN evaluation team uses the formal assessment criteria to evaluate candidate websites and to reevaluate existing VSN member websites.

There are 44 formal assessment criteria, divided into 4 broad categories. Each category is designated as mandatory or desired. The criteria are grouped as follows:

VSN Website Template

To support membership from institutions with limited resources, the WHO Pharmacovigilance team developed the “VSN Website Template”. This is a capacity building tool, which will assist candidate websites from national regulatory authorities, national immunization programs and professional associations to comply with the VSN criteria for good information practices and join the network.

This template is a “minimum package” containing placeholders for implementing the VSN criteria for good information practices, suggestions on how to adequately address different criteria with examples and screen shots from VSN members and suggested vaccine safety topics to be included to address the criteria related to the content of the website. Topics such as immunization and vaccine safety, tailored to a lay audience and healthcare professionals are included.

Please click the VSN website template for more information.