Technical Advisory Group on Genomics (TAG-G)
The Technical Advisory Group on Genomics (TAG-G) provides independent, strategic advice to WHO around technical areas relating to enhancing access to genomic knowledge and technologies for global health.

Call for experts for TAG Precision Medicine-Genomics (TAG-PMG)

The Technical Advisory Group on Genomics (TAG-G) is being expanded and superseded by a Technical Advisory Group on Precision Medicine-Genomics (TAG-PMG) to provide independent, strategic advice to WHO around technical areas relating to enhancing access to precision medicine and genomics for global health.

 

Background

Faced with new and re-emerging global health challenges, the World Health Organization (WHO) strives to be pro-active in identifying and positioning itself in new and often complex science and innovation areas that might have direct impact on public health. WHO is committed to anticipating and remaining abreast of the latest scientific developments, and to identifying opportunities to harness those developments to improve global health and to support countries in the implementation of its norms, standards and agreements.

In 2021, WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus established the Science Council to advise him on WHO's scientific agenda. At its first meeting, the Science Council identified genomics as the focus of its first report, citing the substantial and extensive benefits of genomics for personal and public health. The report led to the establishment of a Technical Advisory Group on Genomics in 2023.

In May 2026, the World Health Assembly passed resolution WHA79.8, Precision medicine: a path towards targeted, personalized and equitable care. The term "precision medicine" refers to the use of clinical, molecular, genomic, and other health-related data to inform prevention, diagnosis and treatment decisions, taking into account individual variability in clinical characteristics, molecular and genomic profiles with appropriate safeguards, including the use of health technology assessment, to promote ethical, equitable and cost-effective implementation and improved health outcomes.

WHO is now seeking to renew and expand the existing TAG-G as the Technical Advisory Group on Precision Medicine-Genomics (TAG-PMG), with expanded membership and scope to include expertise across the full breadth of precision medicine and genomics.

Objective and function

The TAG-PMG will provide technical advice to support work aimed at accelerating access to precision medicine and genomics knowledge and technologies especially in low- and middle-income countries. 

In its capacity as an advisory body to WHO, the Technical Advisory Group will have the following functions:

  • Support and provide technical guidance on activities implemented by the WHO Secretariat to accelerate access to genomics technologies and precision medicine for global health;

  • Review and recommend priority activities for consideration by WHO in order to accelerate access to genomics technologies for global health and the implementation of the resolution on precision medicine, including promotion and advocacy in addition to technical activities;

  • Contribute to, and advise the WHO Secretariat on efforts in convening discussions by scientists, policymakers, patient advocates, clinicians, lawyers, ethicists, and others to develop genomics and precision medicine-related guidance and reports;

  • Support WHO to bringing attention to regional and sub-regional opportunities and experiences in genomics and precision medicine;

  • Contribute to assessing, and report annually to the WHO Secretariat, on progress in accelerating access to genomics and precision medicine for global health;

  • Undertake other duties and functions consistent with the Terms of Reference

    Terms of reference

Composition

The Technical Advisory Group on Precision Medicine and Genomics will be multidisciplinary, with members who have a range of technical knowledge, skills and experience relevant Precision Medicine and Genomics. Up to 20 members may be selected.

WHO welcomes expressions of interest from:

Scientists, healthcare professionals, and healthcare regulators with expertise in a diverse set of fields related to precision medicine and human genomics, including but not limited to expertise on cancer, other non-communicable and congenital diseases, human variation, pharmacogenomics, microbiome and precision nutrition, implementation of precision-based technologies into clinical practice, ethics and other relevant social science domains related to precision medicine.

Consideration will be given to attaining an adequate distribution of technical expertise, geographical representation and gender balance. Members of the TAG-PMG will be appointed to serve for a period of two years.

Their appointment may be terminated at any time by WHO if WHO's interest so requires or, as otherwise specified in these terms of reference or letters of appointment.  Where a member’s appointment is terminated, WHO may decide to appoint a replacement member.

 

Current TAG-Genomics Members

Ahmad Abou Tayoun (Chair)

Al Jalila Children’s Hospital, Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates

Marc Abramowicz

University of Geneva, Switzerland

Zilfalil Bin Alwi

Universitii Sains Malaysia (USM), Malaysia

Tiffany Boughtwood

Australian Genomics, Australia

Yosr Hamdi

Institute Pasteur of Tunis, Tunisia

Tim Hubbard

ELIXIR, King’s College London, Health Data Research UK, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Kazuto Kato

Osaka University, Japan

Iscia Lopes-Cendes

University of Campinas, Brazil

Professor Partha Majumder
Deborah Mascalzoni

Eurac Research Bolzano, Italy - Uppsala University, Sweden

Rokhaya Ndiaye

Université Cheikh Anta DIOP, Senegal

Michèle Ramsay

University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa

Gabriela Repetto

Clinica Alemana Universidad del Desarrollo, Chile

Vorasuk Shotelersuk

Chulalongkorn University, Thailand

Sherry Taylor

University of Alberta, Canada

 

Related publication

Guidance for human genome data collection, access, use and sharing
20 November 2024

Guidance for human genome data collection, access, use and sharing

The ethical, legal, and equitable sharing of human genomic data is critical to advancing global health research and ensuring fair access to the benefits...

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Accelerating access to genomics for global health: promotion, implementation, collaboration, and ethical, legal, and social issues: a report of the WHO Science Council
12 July 2022

Accelerating access to genomics for global health: promotion, implementation, collaboration, and ethical,...

This publication presents the recommendations of the WHO Science Council to the Director-General on accelerating access to genomics for global health....

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Meeting report

WHO Technical Advisory Group on Genomics (‎TAG-G)‎: report of the second meeting held virtually, 5 February 2024
11 April 2024

WHO Technical Advisory Group on Genomics (‎TAG-G)‎: report of the second meeting held virtually, 5 February...

The objective and terms of reference of the group were set out in a WHO call for interest and are available on the TAG-G website. The participants underwent...

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WHO Technical Advisory Group on Genomics (‎TAG-G)‎: report of the first meeting, Geneva, Switzerland, 5-6 October 2023
27 January 2024

WHO Technical Advisory Group on Genomics (‎TAG-G)‎: report of the first meeting, Geneva, Switzerland,...

The objective and terms of reference of the group were set out in a WHO call for interest and are available on the TAG-G website. The participants underwent...

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Safeguarding WHO against conflicts of interests

TAG-G members must respect the impartiality and independence required of WHO. In performing their work, members may not seek or accept instructions from any government or from any authority external to the Organization. They must be free of any real, potential or apparent conflicts of interest.

To this end, the members have completed a declaration of interests form and their appointment has been subject to the evaluation of completed forms by the WHO Secretariat, determining that their participation will not give rise to a real, potential or apparent conflict of interest. 

Notwithstanding the requirement to complete the WHO declaration of interest form, TAG-G members have an ongoing obligation to inform the WHO of any interests real or perceived that may give raise to a real, potential or apparent conflict of interest. WHO may, from time to time, request TAG-G members to complete a new declaration of interest form. This may be before a TAG-G meeting or any other TAG-G-related activity or engagement, as decided by WHO. Where WHO has made such a request, the TAG-G member’s participation in the TAG-G activity or engagement is subject to a determination that their participation would not give rise to a real, potential or apparent conflict of interest.

Related health topic

Health systems

Genomics

Contact

TAG-G Secretariat

World Health Organization
Avenue Appia 20
1211 Geneva 27
Switzerland

Email: genomics@who.int