Comitology

Here you'll find a list of the different types of committees within Santé publique France, along with their missions and roles.

As part of its mandate, Santé publique France is required to establish bodies or committees composed of experts (and individuals from outside the Agency) to ensure the implementation of its work program.

Each member of these committees must complete a public declaration of interests and comply with Santé publique France’s ethical principles. As part of the system for managing and preventing conflicts of interest established by Santé publique France, any potential conflicts of interest involving committee members were reviewed before and during the committees’ work, and the necessary management measures were implemented. Declarations of interest are published on the website: https://dpi.sante.gouv.fr/

The Different Types of Committees

  • Expert committees to provide expertise as defined by the Charter on Health Expertise with the aim of producing an opinion, a recommendation, or an interpretation (data analysis) that will have an impact on public policy (e.g., plans, regulatory measures, prevention programs, etc.) or on a public health intervention (e.g., best-practice measures, management measures, etc.). Santé publique France has developed rules of procedure for expert committees, in accordance with the principles of the Charter on Health Expertise and applicable ethical principles. The rules of procedure for expert committees are available in French and English and will take effect in 2025.
  • Project- or program-specific scientific advisory boards to ensure the scientific consistency, relevance, and quality of the work carried out within the project, survey, study, or program.
  • Bodies responsible for evaluating calls for proposals, projects, and scientific articles.
  • Project- or program-specific steering committees to validate or formulate proposals regarding the definition of the scope and general strategy, objectives and expected deliverables, the selection of implementation conditions, and to monitor implementation and ensure the alignment of objectives with expectations for public policy decision-making.
  • Thematic support committees to assist a Santé publique France project team in defining protocols or methodological guidelines, discussing study results, reviewing texts, testing and validating tools, assessing the feasibility of implementing a surveillance system, practical procedures applicable by a network of stakeholders or partners, and to facilitate and contribute to their operational implementation.
  • Interface committees are established to share best practices and experiences and to gather the perspectives of representatives of individuals (professionals, stakeholders, other citizens) affected by studies or programs and their results, as well as by activities, campaigns, websites, guidelines, and brochures, and the agency’s intervention projects.

"Become a member of our committees through public calls for applications"—and what are the goals?

  • To share your knowledge, exchange ideas within a committee of highly qualified experts, and develop your skills,

  • to contribute to the Agency’s scientific work and to independent scientific expertise in public health for the protection and improvement of people’s health.

What do you need to know?

  • Travel and living expenses are reimbursed under the conditions established for civilian government employees. Compensation for loss of income for self-employed individuals, as well as compensation for time spent attending meetings and for work performed, is based on the scale established by the Board of Directors of Santé publique France.

  • Only complete applications are considered in calls for applications. Candidates are selected based on the information provided in the application, the candidates’ alignment with the required skills, an analysis of conflicts of interest, and the need for a multidisciplinary and diverse group to address the issue at hand.

  • In light of the best practices for preventing conflicts of interest in effect at Santé publique France, receiving personal compensation from industry entities operating within the scope of the committee’s missions, as well as participating in scientific or strategic consulting activities for those same entities, constitutes a clear conflict of interest that is incompatible with appointment to the committee.

  • Declarations of interest are reviewed by Santé publique France’s Internal Ethics Committee.

  • Members are appointed by decision of the General Directorate of Santé publique France; the declarations of interests of committee members are published on the DPI SANTE portal. The composition of the committees is published on the Agency’s website in accordance with the rules defined by Santé publique France.