The World Health Organization (WHO) is a United Nations agency that provides global leadership, standards, and guidance on public health and medical research.
WHO frameworks influence ethical guidance, pharmacovigilance practices, disease classification, and vaccine safety approaches used across international studies. WHO recommendations are especially influential for infectious disease programs, global health trials, and multinational studies operating across diverse regulatory environments. Sponsors may align protocols and safety monitoring practices with WHO guidance to support consistency across regions. WHO standards help harmonize research practices and support credibility in global regulatory and public health discussions.