World Health Organization Technical Report Series

OBJECTIVE: To review the evidence for the effectiveness of a variety of approaches to preventing HIV infection. METHODS: We reviewed what is known about the efficacy and effectiveness of a range of prevention approaches that are at various stages of research. These interventions attempt to induce behavioural change, apply technologies or modify social environments. Our intention was not to provide an exhaustive review of all types of HIV prevention strategies but rather to illustrate the landscape of interventions that have been developed and evaluated in different settings and that have the potential for widespread application among both adults and young people...

OBJECTIVES: This chapter reviews data on the situation of young people and HIV/AIDS. It assesses whether young people have access to the information, skills and services required to reduce their vulnerability and whether there has been any reduction in HIV prevalence among 15--24-year-olds. METHODS: We reviewed the data on knowledge, behaviour, life skills, access to services and HIV prevalence among young people from nationally representative household surveys, antenatal care surveillance reports, behavioural surveillance surveys, a global coverage survey and other special studies...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

This report presents the recommendations of an international group of experts convened by the World Health Organization to consider matters concerning the quality assurance of pharmaceuticals and specifications for drug substances and dosage forms. The report is complemented by a number of annexes. These include: a list of available International Chemical Reference Substances and International Infrared Spectra; supplementary guidelines on good manufacturing practices for heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems for non-sterile pharmaceutical dosage forms; updated supplementary guidelines on good manufacturing practices for the manufacture of herbal medicines; supplementary guidelines on good manufacturing practices for validation; good distribution practices for pharmaceutical products; a model quality assurance system for procurement agencies (recommendations for quality assurance systems focusing on prequalification of products and manufacturers, purchasing, storage and distribution of pharmaceutical products); multisource (generic) pharmaceutical products: guidelines on registration requirements to establish interchangeability; a proposal to waive in vivo bioequivalence requirements for WHO Model List of Essential Medicines immediate-release, solid oral dosage forms; and additional guidance for organizations performing in vivo bioequivalence studies...

This report represents the conclusions of a Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee convened to evaluate the safety of various food contaminants, with the aim to advise on risk management options for the purpose of public health protection. The first part of the report contains a general discussion of the principles governing the toxicological evaluation of contaminants and assessments of intake. A summary follows of the Committee's evaluations of technical, toxicological and intake data for certain food contaminants (acrylamide, ethyl carbamate, inorganic tin, polybrominated diphenyl ethers and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons)...

More than 99% of all human rabies deaths occur in the developing world, and although effective and economical control measures are available, the disease has not been brought under control throughout most of the affected countries. Given that a major factor in the low level of commitment to rabies control is a lack of accurate data on the true public health impact of the disease, this report of a WHO Expert Consultation begins by providing new data on the estimated burden of the disease and its distribution in the world...

Bone is hard tissue that is in a constant state of flux, being built up by bone-forming cells called osteoblasts while also being broken down or resorbed by cells known as osteoclasts. During childhood and adolescence, bone formation is dominant; bone length and girth increase with age, ending at early adulthood when peak bone mass is attained. Males generally exhibit a longer growth period, resulting in bones of greater size and overall strength. In males after the age of 20, bone resorbtion becomes predominant, and bone mineral content declines about 4% per decade...

Musculoskeletal conditions are extremely common and include more than 150 different diseases and syndromes, which are usually associated with pain and loss of function. In the developed world, where these conditions are already the most frequent cause of physical disability, ageing of the most populous demographic groups will further increase the burden these conditions impose. In the developing world, successful care of childhood and communicable diseases and an increase in road traffic accidents is shifting the burden to musculoskeletal and other noncommunicable conditions...

This report presents the recommendations of a WHO Expert Committee responsible for reviewing information on dependence-producing drugs to assess the need for their international control. The first part of the report contains a description of the procedure for the review of dependence-producing substances. This is followed by a critical review of five psychoactive substances (amfepramone, amineptine, buprenorphine, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol and tramadol). The report also discusses the substances that were pre-reviewed by the Committee, four of which (ketamine, zopiclone, butorphanol and khat) were recommended for critical review at a future meeting...

Shifting dietary patterns, a decline in energy expenditure associated with a sedentary lifestyle, an ageing population--together with tobacco use and alcohol consumption--are major risk factors for noncommunicable diseases and pose an increasing challenge to public health. This report of a Joint WHO/FAO Expert Consultation reviews the evidence on the effects of diet and nutrition on chronic diseases and makes recommendations for public health policies and strategies that encompass societal, behavioural and ecological dimensions...

This report presents the recommendations of an international group of experts convened by the World Health Organization to consider matters concerning the quality assurance of pharmaceuticals and specifications for drug substances and dosage forms. Of particular relevance to drug regulatory authorities and pharmaceutical manufacturers, the report discusses activities related to the development of The International Pharmacopoeia and basic tests for pharmaceutical substances and dosage forms, as well as quality control of reference materials, good manufacturing practices (GMP), stability studies, inspection, hazard analysis, procurement, storage and other aspects of quality assurance of pharmaceuticals, and regulatory issues...

Overweight and obesity represent a rapidly growing threat to the health of populations in an increasing number of countries. Indeed they are now so common that they are replacing more traditional problems such as undernutrition and infectious diseases as the most significant causes of ill-health. Obesity comorbidities include coronary heart disease, hypertension and stroke, certain types of cancer, non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, gallbladder disease, dyslipidaemia, osteoarthritis and gout, and pulmonary diseases, including sleep apnoea...

This report presents the recommendations of a WHO Expert Committee commissioned to coordinate activities leading to the adoption of international requirements for the production and quality control of vaccines and other biologicals and the establishment of international biological reference materials. The report starts with a discussion of general issues brought to the Committee's attention and provides information on the status and development of reference materials for various antibodies, antigens, blood products, cytokines, and toxins...

This report presents the recommendations of a WHO Expert Committee commissioned to coordinate activities leading to the adoption of international requirements for the production and control of vaccines and other biologicals and the establishment of international biological reference materials. The report starts with a discussion of general issues brought to the Committee's attention and provides information on the status and development of reference materials for various antibodies, antibiotics, antigens, blood products and related substances, cytokines and growth factors and other substances for which the Committee has discerned a need for international reference materials...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

Diagnostic ultrasound is a rapidly developing imaging technology widely used in both industrialized and developing countries. For certain diagnostic applications, ultrasound has replaced commonly used radiographic imaging techniques as the method of choice, and it has also made possible new areas of diagnostic investigation. Moreover, equipment for ultrasound imaging tends to be cheaper and more widely available than imaging equipment requiring the use of ionizing radiation. This combination of factors has resulted in the proliferation of diagnostic ultrasound units, and in some cases their use by individuals without proper training, or under conditions of inadequate control...

The scale of drug dependence has grown dramatically in the past quarter-century. Preventing dependence and reducing the harm associated with the use of psychoactive substances is a challenge for health services and governments the world over. This report of a WHO Expert Committee categorizes the different types of harm that can result from psychoactive substances, whether illicit or legally available, and describes the steps that can be taken to treat health problems and stop them from occurring. The report looks at the cost and effectiveness of various treatment methods, drawing on evidence from research findings, and gives a detailed outline of the elements needed for an effective national treatment system...

Recent estimates indicate that as many as 53 million pregnancies are terminated by induced abortion each year. One-third of these abortions are performed in unsafe conditions, resulting in some 50,000-100,000 deaths each year, and many more women have complications which may have long-term consequences for their health. This report of a WHO Scientific Group reviews medical methods for the termination of first- and second-trimester pregnancy, including studies on the agents that induce abortion, their mode of action, and their efficacy compared with surgical methods...

Education confers the ability to combine knowledge, attitudes, and skills and use them to shape one's life and the lives of others. A higher educational level correlates with greater competence in decision-making, a better economic situation, and a higher degree of awareness concerning the benefits of and risks to health--indeed, education can be said to be a prerequisite for health. However, education cannot achieve its potential if young people do not attend school because of poor health and related conditions...

Health centres are in the front line of health care provision. Located within communities and usually easily accessible, health centres are in a key position not only to contribute to improved health for the individual but also to foster the development of the community as a whole. This report of a WHO Study Group looks at how health centres function in different parts of the world, at the range of services they provide, and how they can be made both more efficient and more effective. The report covers political and legal issues, management, resources and personnel, finance, and the provision of high-quality health care that matches clients' needs...