review · The Lancet Global Health
Sexually transmitted infections remain widespread globally, causing negative sexual and reproductive health outcomes, particularly in resource-limited settings where tool and evidence gaps persist. A global prioritisation process conducted by the World Health Organization used an adapted research initiative methodology and two stakeholder surveys to determine forty priority research needs alongside six areas addressing mpox during outbreaks. The leading priorities focus on developing and implementing affordable, feasible, rapid point-of-care diagnostic tests and novel treatments, with emphasis on gonorrhoea, chlamydia, and syphilis. Other critical targets include designing multipurpose prevention technologies, creating new vaccines, improving epidemiological tracking of infections and health outcomes, and testing innovative programmatic approaches such as enhanced communication and partner management strategies. These priorities serve to direct future investment and innovation towards overcoming major roadblocks in global infection control and prevention.
Sexually transmitted infections cause significant harm to sexual and reproductive health worldwide, especially where healthcare resources are scarce. Identifying clear global research priorities directs funding and scientific focus towards the most urgent gaps, such as affordable diagnostics and effective treatments. This coordination helps public health agencies, developers, and policymakers deliver effective prevention, control, and care to communities most affected by these infections.
The priority areas highlight clear demand for developers of rapid point-of-care diagnostics, novel therapeutics, vaccines, and multipurpose prevention technologies targeting gonorrhoea, chlamydia, and syphilis. Intended end users include healthcare providers and disease control programmes in resource-limited settings. Because the findings outline prioritised research needs rather than tested products, these opportunities sit primarily at early to intermediate stages of research and technological development.
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Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are widespread worldwide and negatively affect sexual and reproductive health. Gaps in evidence and in available tools have long hindered STI programmes and policies, particularly in resource-limited settings. In 2022, WHO initiated a research prioritisation process to identify the most important STI research areas to address the global public health need. Using an adapted Child Health and Nutrition Research Initiative methodology including two global stakeholder surveys, the process identified 40 priority STI research needs. The top priorities centred on developing and implementing affordable, feasible, rapid point-of-care STI diagnostic tests and new treatments, especially for gonorrhoea, chlamydia, and syphilis; designing new multipurpose prevention technologies and vaccines for STIs; and collecting improved STI epidemiologic data on both infection and disease outcomes. The priorities also included innovative programmatic approaches, such as new STI communication and partner management strategies. An additional six research areas related to mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) reflect the need for STI-related research during disease outbreaks where sexual transmission can have a key role. These STI research priorities provide a call to action for focus, investment, and innovation to address existing roadblocks in STI prevention, control, and management to advance sexual and reproductive health and wellbeing for all.
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DOI: 10.1016/s2214-109x(24)00266-3
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