WHO calls for tobacco cessation app developers globally to apply for WHO validation

To help WHO achieve its goal of supporting 100 million tobacco users to make a quit attempt, tobacco cessation app developers from around the world are invited to assess their apps using a new established framework and submit to WHO for potential validation.

COVID-19 made more tobacco users want to quit, while at the same time health services to help them do so were lacking. These digital tools help bridge that gap. There are hundreds of tobacco cessation mobile applications available worldwide. But the lack of assessment of the effectiveness of products on the market makes it difficult for tobacco users to know what works.

The WHO Tobacco Cessation App Assessment will help expand the ecosystem of digital solutions for tobacco cessation by inviting app developers to participate in an assessment through which WHO will validate a select group of apps that meet WHO criteria. The set of criteria were jointly developed by WHO’s No Tobacco Unit and the Department of Digital Health.

Details of the assessment

The assessment is completed through an online self-assessment questionnaire. The instrument includes questions about the tobacco cessation app’s validity and effectiveness, certifications and endorsements the app has received, referrals it makes to outside resources, content including behavior change techniques, recommended cessation agents or medications, harm reduction approaches, ability to customize content received based on user characteristics, technical requirements, languages currently available and available in the near future, data privacy and security, user testing, advertisements, and affiliation with the tobacco industry.

Process for applying for WHO validation

The validation of tobacco cessation apps is done on a rolling basis. Once the online questionnaire has been completed, a committee of cessation experts will review the content and test the app. Assessment results and recommendations will then be shared with WHO experts for final review and approval, and applicants will be informed of WHO’s decision within three months of applying.

The data submitted through the online questionnaire will be kept internal within the WHO review committee.

To submit your tobacco cessation app for validation, complete the online self-assessment form here: https://extranet.who.int/dataformv3/index.php/791591?lang=en