Overview of the VHPB
>> Members and structure

The Viral Hepatitis Prevention Board has updated its structure since March 2008 (see annex for more details). The Board comprises of a number of advisers, honorary members, and an executive secretariat.

Annex: Structure and modus operandi.

The structure of the VHPB includes an executive secretariat, advisory members, and honorary members. The names of all members including their contact details are listed above.

The secretariat is responsible for a number of operational and scientific tasks, such as:

• organising international meetings and congresses on viral hepatitis,
• preparing scientific programmes and agendas for VHPB meetings and congresses,
• preparing background documents and scientific reports,
• overseeing research projects commissioned by the Board (commissioning, execution, quality assurance, publications),
• editing and issuing VHPB publications, including the periodical 'Viral Hepatitis' (on average 2 issues annually),
• interacting with donors and affiliated groups,
• supervising the VHPB budget,
• disseminating information on viral hepatitis prevention and control,
• maintaining and constantly updating a mailing list of target persons, organisations and institutions (currently holding 4,500 entries world wide),
• handling enquiries regarding viral hepatitis,
• and managing the VHPB website and keep it updated.

The VHPB Executive Secretariat is part of the Centre for the Evaluation of Vaccination designated as a WHO Collaborating Centre for the Prevention and Control of Viral Hepatitis.

The advisory members, internationally recognised experts in the field of viral hepatitis, come from international organisations, academia, and/or national health authorities. The VHPB executive secretariat sets the strategy, defines the actions, and prepares the meetings of the VHPB, all of this in consultation with the VHPB advisory members. Advisory members are appointed for a period of three years, on a renewable basis.

There is an annual meeting with the sponsors to agree on the operational budget, present the planned activities of the next year and exchange idea’s regarding possible future activities.

The VHPB has at least two adviser meetings per year where the strategy is discussed and approved, meetings prepared and output evaluated. Please note that the sponsors are not invited and do not participate at these adviser meetings. Apart from these formal meeting there are numerous ad hoc interaction with the advisers.

Industry never participates in the decisions making process or ‘work’; they attend VHPB meetings as observer. Only in case the technical knowledge of the industry shows to be added value to the topic of the meeting they are asked to give a presentation.