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The article presents the analysis of the World Health Organization Expert Committee on the collaborative studies about cytokines, growth factors and endocrinological substances. These studies aim to assess the relative activities of preparations of natural and recombinant interferon beta in a range of bioassays and to establish reference materials on the area. Furthermore, the Committee had recommended the validity of these studies.

The article presents the analysis of the World Health Organization Expert Committee on the collaborative studies which aim to replace the current International Reference Preparation. These collaborative studies had assessed the relative sensitivity of cell culture assays and chorioallantoic membrane egg assays for smallpox vaccines as well as potency determination of yellow fever vaccines. Futhermore, the Committee stresses their agreement on the content of the studies.

The article presents the analysis of the World Health Organization Expert Committee on the collaborative studies about the international standards for testing and detection of hepatitis B surface antigen (HbsAg) and anti-hepatitis C virus antibodies. These studies aim to replace the International Standard for HbsAg and to assess its suitability for replacement preparation and calibration. The Committee assesses that the studies have appeared to be adequate in the area.

The article focuses on the international guidelines and recommendations developed by the World Health Organization Expert Committee which depict on the manufacturing and quality control of biological products. The Committee has developed a draft for nonclinical evaluation of vaccines, which is intended to set principles as well as provide information and guidance to vaccine manufacturers. The Committee also reviewed the draft for the production and control of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines.

The article offers information about the activities of the World Health Organization Expert Committee on the development of biological standards. The Committee has established a standardization program, which aims to develop recommendations for quality standards, provision of reference materials, and consensus on quality-related issues for biologicals. Furthermore, the Committee has developed of a vaccine for severe acute respiratory syndrome.

The article presents the analysis of the World Health Organization Expert Committee on the collaborative studies about the international standard for Factor VIII, low-molecular-weight heparin, and prekallikrein activator. These collaborative studies aimed to establish common batch of the reference preparation, provide information on relative clinical values of different assays, and replacement of European Pharmacopoeia reference preparations. The Committee also shows impression on the studies.

The article presents the analysis of the World Health Organization Expert Committee on the collaborative studies about the standardization of human papillomavirus vaccine and human immunodeficiency virus (HPV) neutralizing antibody assays. These studies are designed to harmonize diagnostic procedures for HPV DNA detection and evaluation. Furthermore, the Committee stresses that these studies should include neutralizing assays and emphasizes their agreement on the proposed course of action.

The article presents the analysis of the World Health Organization Expert Committee on the collaborative studies about the preparation, characterization and establishment of biological reference materials. The Committee stresses that the collaborative study failed to include restrictions on the methods that will take into account on a given preparation. Furthermore, the Committee suggests that the choice of unit used in the collaborative study must be based on physicochemical information.

The article presents the analysis of the World Health Organization Expert Committee on the collaborative studies about anti-toxoplasma serum, human. The Committee stresses that the studies had assessed the suitability of the candidate preparation for use in cell-killing assays and calibration. However, the value assignment results obtained in the study were found to be based on accepted gold standard method, which means that it cannot directly replaced the existing anti-toxoplasma standard.

Information about several papers discussed at the World Health Organization Expert Committee on Biological Standardization meeting is presented. The meeting highlights the vital role of the Committee in preparing recommendations for the development and distribution of biological products. Several resolutions on quality, safety, and efficacy of medicines, blood products, and vaccines were endorsed.