The Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, the Federal Institute for Vaccines and Biomedicines, continues its successful cooperation with the World Health Organization (WHO) in the field of standardization and evaluation of vaccines. For the fourth time in a row, WHO has confirmed the status of the Paul-Ehrlich-Institut as the WHO Collaborating Centre for Standardization and Evaluation of Vaccines. WHO thus highlights the Institute's international competence in the evaluation and monitoring of vaccines. The new term for the WHO Collaborating Centre, which is based at the Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, starts on 27 August 2025 and is valid for the next four years. The head of this WHO Collaborating Centre is Dr Heidi Meyer.
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The Paul-Ehrlich-Institut has been involved in the preparation of important international guidelines and standards for the evaluation of vaccines in its role as a WHO Collaborating Centre since 2013. "We are pleased about the renewed confirmation of our successful work in the field of vaccine regulation. In the future, we want to contribute our expertise to the continuing development of international regulatory standards. Our goal is to sustainably improve global access to safe and effective vaccines,"
stated Professor Stefan Vieths, President of the Paul-Ehrlich-Institut.
The WHO Collaborating Centre, which is based at the Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, has a wide range of tasks. Particularly noteworthy is its cooperation in the preparation of regulatory guidelines for the global development and authorisation of vaccines and other biological medicinal products. The Paul-Ehrlich-Institut contributes its scientific and regulatory expertise to this process. International guidelines are currently being developed to promote the phasing out of animal testing in the quality control of vaccines and biological medicinal products worldwide.
Furthermore, the WHO Collaborating Centre at the Paul-Ehrlich-Institut supports the WHO vaccine prequalification programme by independently assessing documents submitted for vaccines for which there is international demand. WHO vaccine prequalification allows for these vaccines to be used in vaccination campaigns in emerging and developing countries by United Nations organisations. Prequalification is also often used as a basis for authorisation in countries that have not yet established robust regulatory systems.
There are two WHO Collaborating Centres at the Paul-Ehrlich-Institut. In addition to the Collaborating Centre for Standardization and Evaluation of Vaccines, the WHO Collaborating Centre for Quality Assurance of Blood Products and in vitro Diagnostic Devices is also located at the Paul-Ehrlich-Institut.
Updated: 06.08.2025
