The work of Santé publique France is guided by ethical standards, professional conduct, and the principles of excellence, independence, and transparency.
Santé publique France generates knowledge (reports, risk assessments, studies) and implements health interventions as well as prevention and health promotion initiatives.
Santé publique France is also a health expertise agency. Based on the principles of the Health Expertise Charter, the Agency implements external peer-review expertise and internal institutional expertise to produce the Agency’s opinions, interpretations, and recommendations to support public decision-making on health and health safety.
To this end, Santé publique France has developed its expertise process in accordance with the Charter of Health Expertise. This document presents the key principles and provides an operational description of the steps and procedures of the health expertise process at the Agency.
These activities are carried out within the framework of the Agency’s missions, in close collaboration with research, and are based on scientifically reliable and conclusive data, as well as the high level of scientific expertise of its staff and committees, which include external experts selected for their scientific and/or technical expertise.
In addition, Santé publique France participates in national expert groups.
Learn more about health expertise
This independence is based in particular on the application of interdisciplinary expertise, the prevention and management of conflicts of interest, and the transparency and public disclosure of the Agency’s opinions and recommendations.
This involves structured and recognized evaluation processes, as well as a professional and ethical approach led by senior management and the Ethics and Professional Conduct Committee.
Its 16 regional units underscore Santé publique France’s strong presence across the country, working closely with the regional health agencies (ARS). This regional structure supports the implementation of its missions at the regional and local levels, in close collaboration with the ARS.
Particular attention is paid to the overseas territories to ensure a more comprehensive consideration of health inequalities and their unique characteristics (in terms of status, geographic location, and demographics).
Santé publique France’s work relies on structured networks and partnerships, particularly in support of the epidemiological surveillance networks it coordinates.
These partnerships are also highly active in the fields of prevention and health promotion, with operational collaborations involving public and nonprofit stakeholders at the national and regional levels.
They serve as valuable sources of information and channels for expertise and implementation, enabling the agency to fully carry out its missions across the country.
The agency is structured to ensure a high level of operational readiness and efficiency, from alert to medical response.
The composition of the Board of Directors, the creation in 2016 of the Steering and Dialogue Committee (COD), and the numerous dialogue mechanisms established by the agency (hearings/consultations, participatory studies, feedback to stakeholders, co-creation, etc.) reflect this commitment to openness. This openness must be understood in the broadest sense, as the agency’s missions, outputs, and services concern civil society as a whole.
Civil society’s participation in Santé publique France’s work offers the potential to enhance the robustness of its work by improving the quality of scientific studies, building new dynamics of trust, and fostering greater knowledge-sharing with all stakeholders and the general public. It also encourages the agency to adopt more effective communication strategies, particularly to ensure a better understanding of the decisions made.
The purpose of Santé publique France’s missions is to protect and improve public health. It encompasses all areas of expertise, from monitoring and surveillance to prevention, intervention, and alert systems. Santé publique France can thus respond rapidly in the event of an exceptional situation, but also proactively in the event of a potential crisis.
In the event of an exceptional health situation, Santé publique France relies on the Health Reserve, composed of 2,000 volunteer healthcare professionals, and on the Pharmaceutical Agency. The latter manages the procurement, storage, and distribution of health products necessary to address a large-scale threat, as well as specific stockpiles intended for healthcare facilities to meet specific public health needs (botulism, diphtheria).
The Health Reserve is mobilized by the Ministry of Health, but also—since the Health System Modernization Act (January 2016)—at the request of the Director General of a Regional Health Agency (ARS). Since its creation, the Health Reserve has carried out numerous missions abroad, primarily due to the rise in vector-borne diseases in overseas territories and the Ebola epidemic in West Africa in 2014–2015. It has also been particularly mobilized in response to the COVID-19 health crisis. These missions are primarily entrusted to active professionals—whether salaried employees, private practitioners, or even retirees—who possess pre-identified skills and, as needed, receive appropriate additional training.
Santé publique France’s European and international activities aim to improve its practices in the areas of monitoring, early warning, surveillance, health promotion, and the assessment of the health impact of public policies, while promoting French expertise in public health.
Our strategic priorities for European and international action:
better meet European, international, and national obligations (particularly in the areas of health security and health crises);
contribute to discussions and work on global health security and ensure the international surveillance necessary for monitoring and alert missions through the implementation of appropriate tools and methods;
improve scientific and professional practices in monitoring, surveillance, prevention, health promotion, and communication, and contribute to training the next generation through European and international programs;
contribute to improving the performance and capabilities of public health institutes;
contribute to expert analysis and the development of best practices in public health at the European and international levels, and generate data, knowledge, and new and useful information for the development of European and international strategies, plans, and guidelines;
Participation in the governing bodies of the ECDC (Management Board and Advisory Forum) as well as HERA (Advisory Forum and Management Board) remains essential.
Through European projects, Santé publique France implements these strategic priorities and collaborates with counterparts in Europe and beyond to advance public health policy in France and Europe. Santé publique France participates in the following projects funded by the European Commission:
| Project | Main objective | Framework funding program and agreement number |
|---|---|---|
| Orchidée Project | Organization of a Network of Hospitals Involved in Epidemiological Surveillance and Emergency Response | EU4Health - 101182831 |
| Enhancing whole genome sequencing (WGS) and/or reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) national infrastructures and capacities to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic in the European Union and European Economic Area | Strengthening and/or improving national sequencing capacities | ECDC/HERA - 2021/007 ECD.12221 |
| Sequencing Pathogens for Epidemiology (SEQ4EPI) | Supporting the sustainability of genomic surveillance systems established during the COVID-19 pandemic and preparing them for future crises by strengthening genomic surveillance activities | EU4Health - 101113174 |
| Joint Action on CARdiovascular diseases and DIabetes (JACARDI) | Reducing the burden of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes in European Union countries, at both the individual and societal levels | EU4Health - 101126953 |
| Joint Action on Cancer and other NCDs prevention (JA PreventNCD) | Improving Member States’ collective capacity to plan and implement policies and activities for the prevention of cancer and other noncommunicable diseases at the national, regional, and local levels | EU4Health – 101128023 |
| Joint Action on Tobacco Control 2 – JATC2 | Strengthen cooperation among Member States in the field of tobacco control, particularly in the application and implementation of the Tobacco Products Directive | 3rd Health Programme of the European Union – 101035968 |
| Partnership for the Assessment of Risks from Chemicals - PARC | Developing a risk assessment for next-generation chemicals to better protect health and the environment | Horizon Europe - 101057014 |
| Burden of disease-based methods for estimating the socio-economic cost of environmental stressors – BEST COST |
Developing a new methodological framework to quantify the burden and cost, as well as social and health inequalities, caused by air and noise pollution | Horizon Europe - 101095408 |
| My Personal Best Screening (MyPEBS) | To compare, via a randomized trial, risk-stratified screening versus standard screening for breast cancer in European women aged 40 to 74 | Horizon 2020 - 755394 |
| RescEU - EPIPHRON | Developing and maintaining stockpiles of medical and chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear defense countermeasures | Union Civil Protection Mechanism – 101140507 |
| EU-WISH - Integrated wastewater monitoring for public health in the EU | Supporting activities to strengthen and improve national wastewater surveillance capacities | EU4HEALTH – 101140460 |
