The collaborating centre for smallpox vaccines at RIVMNational Institute for Public Health and the Environment supports WHO with knowledge on vaccines and vaccination and expertise on vaccine potency testing.

Smallpox has been eradicated since 1978, but the world and the WHO remain prepared in case the virus that causes the disease would re-emerge. The Netherlands has historically contributed significantly to the WHO smallpox eradication campaign and in particular RIVMNational Institute for Public Health and the Environment (previously as RIV and later through its former sister organisation NVI) continues to supply WHO in the post-eradication era with expertise on virology, vaccinology and with technical expertise.

Coordination

WHO CC Smallpox Vaccine is coordinated by Dr Willem Luytjes, senior scientific advisor at the RIVM Centre for Immunology of Infectious Diseases and Vaccines.