However, the MOHME publishes the “National Guideline and Schedule of Immunization” which is regularly updated every 2–3 years based on the most recent developments in immunization. The issue of conflict of interest has been taken seriously since August 2009, when all members of the NITAG were requested to sign and submit the forms on “Declaration of interest and Declaration of conflict of interest”. However, in the past, as all members of the NITAG belonged to the MOHME or Universities

of Medical Sciences, no declaration of interest was requested. Iran has been one of the pioneer Eastern Mediterranean countries in polio eradication and measles elimination programmes. Further to smallpox eradication in 1977, the World Health Assembly passed Linsitinib chemical structure a resolution in 1988 to eradicate poliomyelitis by the year 2000. The initiative was approved by the NITAG in 1992 and the national poliomyelitis eradication plan was prepared and adopted by the Parliament so as to declare a high level of political commitment for its implementation. Polio eradication strategies were implemented under the active supervision of the NITAG,

and with full involvement of the chancellors of Universities of Medical Sciences at provincial level. A high quality check details of routine and supplementary immunizations, monitoring of vaccine potency, maintenance of cold chain, and maintaining an immunization coverage of 95% or more were among the major contributory factors to polio eradication in Iran in 2001 [2] and [3]. With the aim to eliminate measles in Iran, the NITAG recommended Oxalosuccinic acid in

January 2002 to launch a mass measles–rubella vaccine campaign for the population aged 5–25 years in all urban and rural areas throughout the country. Based on the NITAG’s recommendation, the MOHME committed to eliminate measles by 2010. In December 2003, a nationwide measles–rubella immunization campaign was conducted targeting 33,579,082 people between the ages of 5 and 25 years with a 98% coverage rate in the target population. As mentioned above, the NITAG role in this project include providing recommendations on the following: • Defining the target age group based on measles epidemiology in Iran. The NITAG has a long history in Iran and has played a significant role in policy formulation and priority setting to prevent and control vaccine preventable diseases. It has helped concerned authorities to make evidence-based decisions regarding the choice of vaccines and to develop immunization programmes throughout the country similar to what has been done in other countries [6] and [7]. Moreover, as many NITAG members come from the Universities of Medical Sciences, they have been able to institutionalize the immunization programme in medical schools, and have also been successful in disseminating public health messages to medical students.